Kill The New World
by The Clown King Of Chaos
Summary: As the Templars tighten their unseen grip on the Empire, the elusive Hidden Ones take desperate measures to break the hold their mortal enemies have.
1. In Medias Res

**Opening Notes: Salutations. Here's another illogical crossover for you. And as seems to be my new** _ **modus operandi,**_ **the timelines are going to be rather... messed up, as well as it starting the way it is with little explanation at first, but please bear with me. Nothing will be left in the dark for long.**

 **XXXXXX**

 **Chapter One:** _ **In Medias Res**_

 **XXXXXX**

"Still don't have your sea legs, eh?" Edward Kenway laughed as his Florentine passenger collapsed onto the dock.

"It's a matter of lifestyle," Ezio Auditore said as he pushed himself back to his feet. "And I never want to sail again as long as I live."

Kenway slapped him on the back. "Chances are you won't, not where you're going." He pointed to the mountainous horizon. "This is as close as we can get by sea. Just keep headed west and, if you don't mind riding all through the night, you'll find yourself in the Capital by tomorrow morning."

 _"Grazie, Capitano_ Kenway," Ezio said, shaking the pirate's hand.

"Anything for an Assassin," Kenway replied. "Especially one who paid in advance." He scanned the menial settlement they had come to, and spied a stable ripe with steeds. "And there's your ride. I'll provide a distraction, if you want. Free of charge."

 **XXXXXX**

"I know you're out there." Robert de Sable looked out to the vast city from a window within the Empirial Palace. Assassins were unbearably stubborn, squeezing out Templar activity wherever they could, holding back the peace that they so claimed to want for the world. "There will be no place for you in the New World..." His musings were cut short by the sound of a door opening and young voice.

"Is something wrong, Robert?"

"Nothing of concern, your Majesty," the Templar leader said kindly, turning around and smiling at the Emperor. The ruler of the lands had to be less than half Robert's age, and yet held supreme power. Obviously getting on his good side was a necessary move towards the agenda of the Templars. "What brings you? Already bored with Honest's rantings today?"

 **XXXXXX**

Esdeath, feared and respected General, felt her impatience grow every moment she was near her military peer.

"You don't know them like I do!" Sibrand aggressively claimed as they walked along the barracks, his eyes darting in every direction. "The Assassins are out there, waiting to strike! To put blades in our hearts and necks!"

"Calm yourself, Admiral," she responded with her usual tone. She had a very low opinion of the paranoid commander beside her. He had shown up long ago, claiming to be a comrade of the Emperor's confidant, Robert. And with nothing but Robert's endorsement, he had sealed his position. Esdeath had hoped that meant he'd be stuck on the coast, far away for the remainder of their time in the Empire. But here he was, ranting to her about men and women who could vanish out of thin air and kill like it was a mere flick of the wrist. Esdeath's father had told her the same stories and legends, but Sibrand's delusions about them being real were so severe, he wore armor every moment of the day.

 **XXXXXX**

Slavers disgusted Altaïr. As a devoted Assassin, he believed in freedom and peace, and the trafficker below him gave only bondage and pain. As the lifelong slayer looked down from his perch on the roof into the courtyard of a menial complex, his target whipped one of his already dead servants for not moving fast enough to his doom. The slaver screeched some words of hate, but Altaïr didn't bother with hearing exactly what they were, only concerning himself with his target's position.

Finally, either believing his warning had been learned, or tired from flying his arms, the trafficker tossed the leather weapon to the side and beckoned two guards over.

"Get rid of it. I don't care where." He waved them off and helped himself to wine.

Altaïr's eyes drifted to the guards as they dragged the cadaver off, possibly to a ditch or slum well. With them gone, the foul man and the Assassin were alone. Rising from his crouch, Altaïr readied himself, and jumped.

The people-seller leaned back in a chair, enjoying the warmth in his chest as he swallowed, feeling it spread up and down his sternum. However, that pleasantness instantly vanished as something heavy and bright landed on him on. The splintered chair pieces dug into his back, and his ribs felt like they were on fire. Letting out a screaming fit, the pain remained but his voice died away. His vision, blurry from the impact, began to clear, and he saw a man standing above him with sharpened steel seemingly protruding from his wrist.

"Please don't kill me!" He begged. "You can have any of them you want! There are so much more of them all over the Capital, nobody will notice!" He would have gestured to the people in the cages around them, but that would have considerably increased his agony.

"I don't want a slave," Altaïr responded coldly, lowering the primary weapon of the Assassins to the reprobate's neck. "I want answers." He and his fellow Assassins had scoured the district, gathered useful information, but one important piece was still missing. "When is your superior supposed to collect them?"

Desperate at the chance to get out of the situation alive, the slaver fessed up. "Talal said he would be here in a week!"

"Perfect."

"So does this mean you'll let me go?" He asked, hope seeping into his voice.

Altaïr locked eyes with him. "You are not innocent, and I cannot risk you telling him that I'm closing in." As soon as he spoke, he plunged his hidden blade into the man's neck.

Letting the filth bleed out, Altaïr looked over to the people locked up, all of them too shocked to do anything but stare at him. He searched through the pockets and folds of the now deceased man's clothing, and sure enough found a key ring. Unlocking and opening the cages was about as easy as infiltrating the place.

"Run back to your homes," he said to them, pointing to the door. The sun was setting, so the guards would be absent to change shifts, thus leaving a path open for them.

All of their faces shined with gratitude, a few of them shouting "bless you!" as they ran to freedom.

His task complete, Altaïr scaled the wall and brought himself back up to the roof, free running across to quickly put a gap between him and the scene of what the Capital officials would surely call a crime.

The main roads were too wide for him to leap across, but the more compressed buildings side by side were perfect to tread above the streets and as a plus had perfect footholds to make his way back to the rest of the populace's level. After reaching what he considered a safe distance, he climbed down into an alley and walked into the crowd of people wrapping up their days and making way for home. Like them, he had a destination that was all too familiar to him.

Slithering through them, he occasionally placed a hand on some passerby's back or shoulder, gently guiding them away from him to avoid a bodily collision. He would have taken the rooftops, but the guards would have changed shifts and retaken their positions by now, and if his last run-in with Robert de Sable taught him anything, it was that sometimes direct contact was not always the best strategy.

After an hour of shifting through the people of the Capital, he arrived. To most others, it would have come off as just another building hardly worth notice unless one was going inside. Making his way over to the normal entrance, Altaïr grabbed the top of the doorway and pulled himself up. As he climbed to the roof, he heard the usual words of disbelief fill the air below from those who had stopped to watch the spectacle.

"What is he doing?"

"Has he lost his mind?"

"He's going to hurt himself!"

Most of them thought he would fall. Their expectations went unmet. Hoisting himself onto the roof and out of sight, the group below dispersed and the Assassin made his way over to the true entrance, only to be stopped. The gap in the roof, which allowed him and his fellows entrance into the Bureau, was blocked off by iron bars. The Rafiq, evidently, had turned in for the night.

With nothing to be done and feeling drowsiness nestle into him, Altaïr turned around and walked over to the edge. With the master slaver so far away, the information of his eventual arrival could wait for a few hours. Altaïr broke into an easy run, and jumped off the edge. As he came to the ground, he fell into a roll, and returned to his feet , setting off as if nothing had happened. Heights were but a second nature to him.

Walking along, considering where to go next, he felt something. As if danger was closing in on him. He looked behind himself and saw a mostly empty street. But out of the corner of his eye, for an instant there was a fleck of white and yellow. Realizing just what was going on, he started walking again with a faster pace.

 **XXXXXX**

Leone smirked as she closed in on her prey. One would think that wearing spotless, bright white would make a man stick out like an infection. And yet he somehow managed to elude most people countless times. _Most_ people. She knew him enough to spot him in a crowd, hiding in plain sight from the guards... unless it happened to be a scholar also clad in white, or another Assassin; she had tackled a surprised peace-bringer more than once.

She kept on tailing him through turns of the roads, not sure if he was going faster because he wanted to call it a day, or because he had seen her, but she shrugged it off. Either way, she was going to catch him this time.

 _No crowds to disappear into,_ she said internally. He was striding as quickly as he could without breaking into a run. She kept up, slowly closing the gap between them. She couldn't have been more than ten meters behind him when he made a sharp turn into an alleyway. Naturally, she followed him in. He must have sprinted when he turned because when she did the same, all she saw was the back of a white hood exiting to the left. Entering a run, she made it to the exit, only to find he had led her to a completely empty street. No people, no light except for the moon above, and no Assassin.

As she wondered just where he had gone, Leone heard something land behind her. Before she could react, an arm had reached around to position itself in front of her, and a wrist-mounted blade was prodding her neck.

"Nice try," Altaïr said, flexing his hand to make the hidden blade retract back into its holster.

"I'd say that makes us about even?" Leone playfully asked as they both began walking.

"Not even close."

"You're right," she agreed. "I'm still way in the lead."

He didn't laugh, but she had not expected him to.

"So how was your day?" She asked with a lilting tone.

"Productive," he answered with his familiar succinct attitude. "I found out when our next target is due to arrive in the Capital and freed his would-be slaves."

"My my. Productive indeed. I ran into some wide-eyed country boy. Wanted to join the military of all things," she laughed. "Got him to buy me a nice meal and some delectable sake."

Altaïr's eyes drifted over to her. Manipulating naivete? An admittedly dirty trick, but not one some of those in the Brotherhood were above.

Leone continued. "Oh, and I told him I had a contact in the army that could get him in, no questions asked..." She presented a sizeable pouch of currency. "For a small fee, of course."

Altaïr understood the scam. If she knew some higher up in the Empire's army, then he was a Templar. He was divided on it. Sure, he pickpocketed regularly, but that was mostly to gain vital information towards a target. Then again if the boy wanted to join the Emperial forces, that made him a potential enemy.

"So I was thinking," Leone looked at him. "I'm pretty sure neither of us want to go mountain-climbing back to base in the dark. With all this-" she shook the money bag, "- maybe we could find a nice room."

"Good idea. It's better than risking a fall or sleeping out in the open," Altaïr responded, tired from the exploits of the day.

Leone leaned over, pressing her chest into his side. "I was also thinking... we could keep each other warm."

They both stopped dead in their tracks. Altaïr turned his head to look at her. Even if the area inside his hood wasn't covered with blackness, his expression still would have been unreadable.

 **XXXXXX**

"I don't think they're coming back tonight," Sheele said flatly.

"Is it possible they were captured and killed?" Akame inquired as she took a bite out of the creature she had killed and cooked earlier.

"I don't think so," Najenda replied. "If the Army had caught an Assassin, they would have dragged the entire Capital out to the streets to watch the execution." The leader of Night Raid had gone down to the massive city personally earlier to attend to some business, and nothing was out of the ordinary. "Those two know how to hide when they want to."

Her thoughts began to drift slightly. The Assassin had certainly proven to be a valuable addition to Night Raid, even though he originally, and she thought, probably still, didn't want to be there...

 ** _XXX Several weeks ago XXX_**

 _"Are you sure about this?" Najenda asked the old killer next to her as they watched the young but incredibly skilled man practice his sword on sparring partners._

 _"Absolutely," Al Mualim, Mentor of the Masyaf Assassins, nodded. "Our goals for the end of tyranny run parallel, thus we can help each other. While Altaïr's abilities are massive, his humility, comradery, and patience are wanting. He can help you eliminate our enemies, and along the way perhaps he can learn something. Plus, some of the Brotherhood in the Capital reports activity that is suited for his attention."_

 _Najenda trusted him. The Assassins had backed the Revolutionary Army from the shadows for a long time, and if she got an exemplary fighter out of this, how could "no" have been an answer?_

 _"If I may ask, what did he do to lose his rank?"_

 _Al Mualim looked back over to his student. "His crass and arrogance cost one of his friends an arm and a brother, and made something of immeasurable value nearly fall into the hands of our enemy."_

 _"I see..." She would have asked what exactly that something was, but could tell it was purely Assassin business._

 _The trek from Masyaf back to Night Raid's base was awkward to say the least. Altaïr barely said anything unless she instigated conversation, and whenever they stopped to rest, he would stare at the hours in in utter silence. Najenda was most relieved when they finally made it back, but she also hoped he would warm up to his new comrades, and they would do the same towards him._

 _"In the mountains," he said, dismounting his horse when they finally arrived at his new, possibly temporary, home._

 _"Just like you're used to," Najenda said as they walked towards the fortress._

 _"How many of you are there?" He asked._

 _"Well, with you here, there's eight."_

 _"Such a small number, taking on an enemy that vastly outnumbers you." He seemed to slowly process his situation._

 _"Isn't that something you Assassins thrive on?" She asked knowingly. Before he could reply, their senses were taken over by the sound of a crackling fire and the scent of freshly cooked meat. Changing course and making their way past more trees, they came something common to Najenda but completely alien to her newest recruit. Two women, one roughly Altaïr's age and the other looked a few years her junior. Both of them were sitting next to a fire, over which was a skinned beast that had to be three times bigger than both of them. Both of the women looked over. The older blonde appeared excited to see her leader again while the apparent younger one looked at Altaïr with a blank expression._

 _"Is he one of us?" She asked her leader without looking away from the man in white, not yet sure what to make of him._

 _"Ah yes, introductions are in order," Najenda gestured to the Assassin. "Akame, Leone, this is Altaïr Ibn La'Ahad. He's going to be fighting the good fight with us."_

 _"Safety and peace," he greeted to the two of them._

 _Leone couldn't help but laugh. "We're sorta short on both of those." She looked at him up and down like he was a vintage bottle of precious alcohol. "What's with the hood? If you're scared of getting your mug on a wanted poster, you've joined the wrong team."_

 _He glared daggers at her. "I am not afraid of anything."_

 **XXX Back to the present XXX**

Leone stretched in the morning sunlight as her paramour paid the innkeeper, taking off on his lead when the transaction was finished. After they had their fun, the same incident that always accompanied Altaïr occurred without fail. In the dead of the night, she had been awakened by him suddenly jolting up and panting. She had kept still as he calmed himself and eventually returned to his slumber.

She never would have guessed he suffered from nightmares by the way he carried himself with boundless confidence. Part of her wanted to ask him about it, but the rest of her knew he wouldn't answer.

"I never would have guessed you had so much stamina when we first met," she said teasingly. "But I guess a guy can runs across rooftops all day has to keep a pace."

He looked at her with an expression of getting the joke but not showing if he felt amusement or irritation.

"So where we going?" She asked cheerfully as they walked back into the busy street. "Back to base?"

"After I take care of something," he confirmed, taking the way to head back to the Bureau. If the Rafiq had caught up on their rest, then surely by now the way in was open.

"You ever think of getting a new wardrobe? Or at least a dye job?" Leone asked. "Because virginal white isn't really all that subtle."

Altaïr did not offer a response, but he did ponder on her inquiry. Al Mualim and the Rafiqs all donned black, and he had seen fellow Assassins change their robe's colors plenty of times; some of his brethren stalked their targets covered in scarlet and emerald.

He shook the aimless thought process from his mind and focused on what was in front of him: wealthy nobles juxtaposed with dirt-caked beggars. Both he and Leone could see those in the latter category wanted to run up to the high rollers and directly ask for compassion and charity, but held back out of fear of physical altercation from bodyguards.

After a stroll of keeping themselves out of the potential social crossfire, the two killers arrived.

"Wait here," Altaïr said as he proceeded to climb the wall. Pulling himself up, he felt relief at seeing that the entrance gap was indeed open. Dropping down in front of the pillows and blankets provided for visiting Assassins in between missions, he walked into the Rafiq's office.

"Safety and peace," he said as he stepped through the doorway, only to have it answered with disdain.

"Your presence deprives me of both, Altaïr."

Standing behind a counter within, looking down at what could only be a map of a portion of the Capital, was the man who had once been Altaïr's friend.

"Malik, old friend," he nodded as he avoided looking at the New Rafiq's left side, which was missing its arm.

"Well, don't just stand there," Malik said. "You wouldn't come here without a reason."

Before Altaïr could respond, another voice rang in from the adjacent room. "I'm sensing a lot of tension in there."

The two followers of the Creed looked over to see Leone, reclinging on the cushioning and casually waving at them.

"Nice to see your friends keep their eyes on you," Malik observed as he reached down, grabbed a book, and let it down on the wood surface between him and the man he blamed for So much pain in his life as of late. "Now, the reason you have interrupted my morning?"

Altaïr would have yelled, scorned, or defended himself with argument, but something held him back. "I've found out when the master slaver Talal is going to be in the Capital. He will be arriving in six days."

Seeing that official Revolution business momentarily surpassed semi-passive aggressiveness, Malik opened the book, took a quill, and wrote the information he had just been told down. With that complete and documented, Malik returned to his snark. "Well done. You've managed to avoid completely ruining the operation. Before i forget, another one of your new compatriots paid a visit to me yesterday."

This caught Leone's attention; she perked up but didn't enter the small chamber housing the Assassins.

Malik saw this and continued. "You don't know? Evidently, you Night Raid people are closing in on a family of murderers. Didn't she tell you?"

Leone suddenly became interested in the wall.

Altaïr explained. "We have not seen any of Night Raid since yesterday morning."

Malik looked at the blonde, seeing between the lines. He put the book back out of sight and returned to his map. "As if you needed another distraction. Your friends, and you two, if you feel like joining in, will be infiltrating a daily of quite nobles here." He placed a fingertip on the parchment, indicating a spot within a more affuent part of the district. "Parents and a daughter..."

Leone let her thoughts run as her lover and his peer discussed things she didn't really listen. _No wonder he hardly ever talks about where he came from. If this guy is his friend, I'd hate to meet his enemies._

Altaïr gave a gesture of peace and walked out.

"Let's go," he said to Leone as he grabbed the wall and went up, his partner in tow. Making it back to the roof, he offered a helping hand and pulled Leone up.

"He seems pretty angry with you," she said.

"He has every right to be."

 **XXXXXX**

 **Closing Notes: For inspiration on the execution of this story, I watched and read a lot of heist and mystery stories, drawing on their non-linear but connected plots and several changes in character perspectives.**


	2. Tendencies

**Opening Notes: Huge thanks to my old friend mordreek, who was instrumental in the writing of this chapter.**

 **XXXXXX**

 **Chapter II: Tendencies**

 **XXXXXX**

"Well, looks like we go some time to kill," Leone said. There was no point in going all the way back to base when they were due in the Capital that evening; little sense in basically running back and forth. "You wanna go hit a bar?"

"It's morning," Altaïr said flatly.

"So? Nothing starts a day like a good buzz."

"Maybe you should keep your wits and balance for tonight?" He reasoned.

"Awww, are you worried I'll get myself stabbed?" She teased.

"No. I am concerned you will jeopardize the operation."

She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead and let out an overtly dramatic sigh. "You can be so cold, lover boy."

He rolled his eyes.

Leone peeked out from behind her wrist and pouted slightly, put out at her partner's immunity to her dramatics and began looking around for a bar as she suggested. "So, what places do you think will be ripe for looting?"

He muttered under his breath and shifted his course slightly, resulting in him bumping into some random noble he couldn't care less about. To any eye, it would have come off as him not seeing where he was going, but his lifelong training made that the point.

"Are all your vices so endless?" He asked as he casually passed a newly pickpocketed coin pouch into her hands.

Leone gave him a cheeky grin as she emptied the burlap onto her hand, but it faded instantly. "Stupid higher-up," she sighed as she tossed the fake currency over her shoulder. "I don't know, you'd be in a good position to answer about one of them."

Altaïr looked over his shoulder, smirking at the well-off glutton frantically digging into his pockets as the two rebels became invisible to him.

"They say it's good for the soul."

His lips curled downward as a most unwanted person approached. Fortunately, the self-righteous man passed them, headed in the opposite direction, unaware that one of his sworn enemies had just been within strangling distance.

Leone followed his gaze and smacked his side with one of her hands, "Noo, bad male, no attacking random Templars in the street." She playfully scolded him like a person would to their pet.

"I wasn't..." He had learned his lesson back in the temple of Solomon. His brashness had cost him and others a great amount. Shaking his head, they continued, her gaze still going around for a place for a hard drink. He too found himself looking around, and eventually he stared upwards, his sights on something that disgusted him: a Templar flag on a rooftop. Their showing off of their control and occupation twisted his gut.

Leone once again copied where he was looking and rolled her eyes in fond exasperation, "Fiiine, piss on their tree If you really need to but try not to get caught."

"Do I ever?" He asked. He looked around the street. A distraction would be helpful to draw any potential surrounding guards. Fortunately they had wandered onto a road occupied by vendor stands. Plenty of people. "Wait here."

Leone tapped her foot, annoyed at being made to wait for something like this, but she kept herself occupied keeping an eye out for more Templars and guards.

Walking into the throng alone, he looked around for the right set up for a minute before finding it. A man arguing with a seller, and behind his back, another surly civilian having a shouting match in the opposite direction. Casually making his way between them, he smacked the unsatisfied customer on the back of the head. With the task complete, Altaïr continued on, listening in as the two men took his bait, screaming at each other. The air filled with the sounds of fists meeting faces. With most eyes on the street fight, he grabbed onto a doorway and pulled himself up, making the climb up.

Back on the street, Leone didn't have to wait long. Not ten seconds after the pseudo boxing match commnced did a pair of guards come onto the spectacle. Her mind raced at what to do, but found that the solution presented itself. Rather than restoring peace, the two authorities just watched the two men beat each other with smiles. Keepers of the peace, indeed.

Reaching the top, he was relieved to see no guards on the roof. Running over to the flag, he heard a familiar sound; the cry of a bird of prey. Looking up, he saw it soar overhead, molting two feathers as it left to wherever it was going. The two pieces floated down towards Altaïr. Thinking about his past teachings and traditions, he carefully grabbed them from the air when they were within reach. Looking at them as they rested on his palm for a moment, he tucked them into his belt. Not wasting another moment, he tore the small flag from its perch and climbed down, not wanting wandering eyes to spot him. Carefully returning to the street and slithering his way out of the crowd, with the stench of blood in the air, he made it back to his paramour.

"Nothing to worry about, habibata."

With a flex of his wrist, his hidden blade emerged from its holster.

Leonne nodded absentmindedly, still scanning the crowd and keeping an eye out for guards or other undesirables that might be looking for her stubborn male. "We're deadly assassins in enemy territory, of course there's nothing to worry about."

"Second tenet of the Brotherhood," he said as he sliced into the white fabric that showed the enemy's symbol. "Hide in plain sight."

With the wretched piece in ribbons, he casually walked away from the brawl and placed the pieces on the counter of a tailor's shop. "Make somebody a nice pair of gloves."

"Makes me almost want a pair, but i think that would clash with my hair." Leonne says as she curls up against Altair's side, smirking at her little joke.

 **XXXXXX**

"Whoa! It's humongous!" Tatsumi gazed at the Palace and its towering walls, which easily stood taller than any other building outside of them. "So that' where the Emperor controls his lands lives?"

"Sort of," the guard employed by Tatsumi's gracious host said. "Some say there's two men who really run things from the shadows. The Prime Minister, and from the rumors I've heard, some military advisor who just showed up one day."

"So... those two are the reason for all the rot in the Empire?"

"Quite!" Gauri quickly placed his hand over the country boy's mouth. "Bad things happen to those who disrespect the ones who have the power. You don't want to end up in prison."

Tatsumi struggled as he removed the glove from his maw. "You can get arrested here for that?!"

His companion nodded and pointed his thumb towards a wall behind him. "If you ask me, the focus should go to catching people like them."

Tatsumi looked over and saw a row of wanted posters. Each had detailed drawing of people with their names beneath, and all of them had two words in common.

"Night Raid?" He said aloud, confused by it.

"A group of killers who have the entire Capital rattling," Gauri explained. "They only strike in the night, befitting to their name. They usually go after high ranking or wealthy people."

Tatsumi let that last part sink in, and looked over to Aria, the girl who had taken him in after finding him about to sleep in the streets. She obviously came from money, with the two personal guards following her from shop to shop, carrying newly acquired goods that had size comparable to a carriage.

The country native returned his attention back to the posters and noticed something. Above them, carved into the rock, was a symbol he did not recognize. Its basic shape reminded him of an arrow head.

"What's that?" He pointed to it.

Gauri answered after barely glancing at it. "Just someone's idea of a poor joke."

Tatsumi just looked at him with confusion.

"What, you never heard the stories of the Brotherhood?" The bodyguard asked.

"The what?"

"The Brotherhood. The Hidden Ones. Personally, I think it's all just stories and legends."

"Stories about what?

"People who kill whenever and whoever they want, and can vanish into thin air. It's all just nonsense parents tell their kids to make them go to sleep." He turned away from the mark. "We should probably help them."

Tatsumi glanced over to Aria, pointing to yet another store to spend her family's money in, and following her were two more bodyguards carrying parcels easily twice their size on their shoulders and backs. Gauri walked over to lend a hand, but Tatsumi stayed where he was for a moment. Something within him convinced him to look back at the posters and symbol, and he did a new sight beheld him.

Someone with their back to him, clad in what he thought was a hooded white overcoat and black boots with a red cape covering their left arm, was also observing the symbol for a moment. They lazily dropped something that let out a clang in front of the wanted posters before walking away. Curiosity got the better of Tatsumi and he made his way over to the spot the stranger had occupied. Seeing what had been dropped, he grabbed it and brought it up level with his eyes. It looked like a silver oversized belt buckle, and inscribed on it was the mark of the Brotherhood.

The pieces fell into place in his mind. "Hey, wait!" He called out. But it was too late, the stranger was gone. Looking at the decorated piece of polished metal, he considered just what to do with it. And whether or not it meant the "legends" were true.

 _Keep it,_ something said to him from within. _Trust your instincts._

Coming to a decision, he slid it between his shirt and vest, out of sight.

 **XXXXXX**

Meanwhile, kilometers away, Leone had coerced her partner into a few drinks. That is to say, she downed shots while he sat across from her and silently watched.

"How come you never get sauce in your system? All the time I've known you, not a single drop." She held on to him as they exited the tavern.

"Because I-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOTHING?!"

The two Night Raid members looked over to see a trio of Templars, among them an obvious leader who looked infuriated.

"We mean that there was nothing to be found, Admiral," one of the subordinates said with caution.

"Then you didn't look hard enough!"

Keeping on eye on the three, Altaïr slowly guided himself and his mate to a small group of civilians, masking themselves from attention. He whispered to her, "Don't. Do. Anything."

Leonne turns to him and gives him her best puppy eyes, "But the chaos, we could create so much chaos for them."

"Or compromise everything the Revolutionary Army and Brotherhood has worked towards."

They looked back to the enemies.

"You idiots! Morons! Imbeciles! They are among us, all around us! Hidden Ones, just waiting!" He looked around, paranoid and angry, screaming out. "Are you enjoying this, Assassins! I know you are out there!"

Altaïr could almost feel Leone smirking at him.

"Yes, yes we are." Leonne said with a Chesire grin on her face as she watched the paranoid Templar rant, "Okay you were right, this is so much better. We get to watch him fall apart and not even lift a finger."

"Agreed." Altaïr did not take his eyes of the enemy of the Brotherhood who continued screaming.

"Double your efforts! Sweep every alley and shop for them! The Assassins, and that irritating Night Raid are here. I know it!"

"Yes, Admiral Sibrand!" The two lesser Templars bowed and ran off to their barracks to gather more troops.

Sibrand took another frantic look around, and for a split second, Altaïr could have sworn the two of them locked eyes. Finding nothing, the higher-up Templar also made his way off and out of sight.

"Let's follow him!" Leone suggested. "Drive him even crazier!"

"Perhaps another time..." Altaïr was all for slaying Templars, but wasn' too keen on having half the guards in the Capital looking for him and Leone should the Admiral snap and raise alarms.

 **XXXXXX**

Robert looked at the stars, sucked in fresh air, and could not help but growl as his thoughts to turned to the man who always whispered in the Emperor's other ear, delaying his plans and pulling the young ruler away from the Templar grasp.

"Trouble on the pedastal?" A familiar voice asked.

"You have no idea, Rodrigo." He didn't bother Looking over, but waited for his peer to catch up and match his pace. The Spaniard (as he was called by most) had a talent of showing up at places of authority. "That moron Honest is nothing but a sadistic hedonist."

"It matters little. You've sealed your position, so now all that's left is the search."

Robert nodded. Their precursors, the Ancients, had left clues to where their bounty was long since hidden away. After years of preparation, both Templars were sure it was there, somewhere in the Capital. And if it wasn't, at the very least the New World would have a vast land under their control.

"You will have to keep the piece alone for a while," Rodrigo said. "I am leaving. If one Piece of Eden is in the hands of the Brotherhood, then another must be secured to bring the New World to life."

Robert finally looked at his comrade. "Another?"

"Yes, evidently they are not called "Pieces" for nothing. Riario wrote to me, claiming he's made a breakthrough with some map."

 **XXXXXX**

"I knew that white-clad whiner would bail on us," Mine said with her nose in the air. The day had given way to a starry night, and most of the Night Raid members selected for this task were waiting for their cohorts to show up before the window of opportunity closed on them.

"Doesn't explain why Leone isn't here, though," Lubbock observed. The military defector missed the blonde (and certain parts of her).

"Or maybe they got caught by the guards," Sheele said absentmindedly.

"No," Akame said.

"What makes you so sure?" Mine inquired.

"Because they're right there." She pointed over, right to the two formerly absent rebels making their way over to the group.

"Hello everybody," Leone waved. "Miss us?"

"Where have you been?" Bulat asked.

"Oh, all over," she happily answered. "Stealing from nobles, visiting old friends, driving Templars crazy..." she ran a finger down Altaïr's arm. "... wearing each other out."

Mine narrowed her eyes and pointed at them. "Wait, you two-"

Altaïr cut her off, making his way through her and the others. "We have a task ahead of us. Sheele and I will leave the noise and attention to you."

The purple-haired airhead, with a lost expression on her face, suddenly remembered she was supposed to follow him for the first phase of this operation. "Are we going to walk through the front door?"

"No. Window."

As they closed the gap between them and their targets' dwelling, he suddenly stopped and grabbed Sheele by the shoulder, making her do the same. She was about to ask them why he had brought them to a halt, but saw he was focusing. Altaïr closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and exhaled as his eyelids separated. For an instant, Sheele could have sworn she saw glowing on his face.

Everything flashed for an instant, and then the world was a shade of gray in the vision of Altaïr. He looked over to Sheele; most would have seen her as mostly dressed in purple, but using this gift he had honed for years, Altaïr saw her as a bright blue phantasm. Turning his attention back to the mansion, he saw little specks of red constantly shifting around it.*

"Stay close," he whispered. "And keep quiet."

Sheele had seen him do this before in various situations, and yet couldn't figure out how he knew who to avoid and who did not concern themselves with the presence of killers. Then again, a part of her told her not to think on it too much and trust him.

Sure enough, she followed his lead, and they evaded all obstacles until reaching the manor.

"How good are you at climbing?" He asked, looking upwards, scanning the wall for a way in, eventually coming across an open window. Luck was on their side that night. Sheele's response to his question was to maneuver her arms over his shoulders and down onto his chest while still holding Extase.

"Not very," she admitted.

Altaïr accepted the situation, looked around to make sure it was still clear of foes, and began to climb. Sheele adjusted herself, trying not to choke him. Coming to their entrance, Altaïr quietly opened the window further and looked down the hall, making sure they were empty. Climbing into the high-end dwelling, Sheele let go of him. They exchanged a nod, and split up.

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi found himself being pulled out of the realm of dreams and staring at the ceiling of his room. He could feel something in the air. Something familiar. "Bloodlust." Quickly putting on his gauntlets and grabbing his sword, he flung the door open, ready for a fight. As he sprinted down the hallway, Gauri's story from earlier filled his head.

 _They only strike at night..._

As he came to a large window, something outside caught his eye and he came to a stop.

"Is that..." Somehow staying in the air were five silhouettes, four of them obviously human but one he couldn't be sure of. "... Night Raid?" He found himself unable to move or look away.

 **XXXXXX**

Altaïr considered this job to be too easy. Stalking and slaying a rich family was not comparable to facing down elite Templars and bloodthirsty mercenaries. But if it meant getting rid of sun and regaining Al Mualim's trust, then he would complete it to the best of his ability. Keeping to the shadows, he silently closed the gap between him and his prey. The Hidden One was not sure why the father of this disgusting family had been drawn from his chambers, but then again he did not care. Finally, he was within killing distance.

He leaped forward, flexed his wrist to make his hidden blade present itself, and collided with the patriarch. Steel entered vital flesh before they hit the ground.

 **XXXXXX**

The house was gone, as was the darkness.

In a flat, flawless place with an infinite, unreachable horizon in every direction, symbols and shapes flashed into existence and then vanished as quickly as they came. And in that place kneeled Altaïr, holding his latest victim's head up as blood seeped from his wound, staining his chest.

"Your crimes have been answered for," the Hidden One told the man whom he looked down at.

"Please..." he struggled for breath. "My daughter..."

"She too will face her judgement."

"Do you have no mercy?!" The father demanded, using the last of his stregth to fill his words with anger.

"Only towards those who deserve it."

 **XXXXXX**

Back in reality, Altaïr stood up off his prey. The conversation he had just had, it seemed, had only taken less than an instant, and yet he remembered all of it like a normal exchange. With the deed done, he walked off to help his comrades.

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi couldn't watch anymore. Night Raid had annihilated several of the guards within moments.

 _I have to help!_ He thought. _I have to protect Aria!_

Making his legs work to a burn, he made his way down the hall towards any way to get outside. Rounding a corner, he again was met by an uncanny sight. A man dressed in long white clothing, with his left arm covered in blood, forcing a window open. Before he could do anything else, the stranger jumped out. Not bothering to follow him, Tatsumi ran off to find a more conventional way to get outside.

 **XXXXXX**

Landing with a roll, Altaïr made it to his feet without issue. But he wasn't alone.

"Stop right there!" Another armed employee of the target family shouted to him, holding a sizeable ax. "Don't even think about reaching for that sword!"

Clearly the brute was unfamiliar with the weaponry of the Brotherhood. "I don't need it to kill you."

The bodyguard did not take the claim well. He raised his weapon and ran towards the assassin. Altaïr waited for the right moment, and struck. In one flowing motion, he sidestepped from the swing of the ax, and buried his hidden blade into the guard's neck. Not bothering to stick around, Altaïr made his way over to where the sound of steel colliding and painful screams filled the air.

"You being a showoff is new to me," a familiar voice said from within the surrounding trees. Leone, with longer hair and bestial paws in place of her hands, stepped into the moonlight. "Either that or maybe you're finally having fun."

"I always considered this a duty rather than a source of enjoyment?"

She shrugged. "Gotta love what you do, as they say. C'mon." He grabbed his arm and pulled, gesturing to follow her. He obliged, but quickened their pace to get to the action faster.

"That does make some sense. And they do, after all, deserve it."

Leone smiled as they slithered through the trees, eventually making it to a windowless, sealed warehouse. And in front of it was their fellow Night Raid member Akame, and...

"Wait," Leone squinted. "Is that...?" The clothes, the sword, the face...

"What?" Altaïr asked her.

"That kid... he's the one who paid for our motel room," she explained. "Just how unlucky can he get?"

No sooner had she asked herself that, did Akame put her blade in the country boy's chest, making him fall to the ground.

"It cannot get much more unfortunate than-" Altaïr stopped talking as the rube picked himself up, apparently unharmed.

"Strange," Akame said, looking at the tip of her blade. It was free of any new crimson stains. "It should have tasted your flesh."

Tatsumi could not help but agree. The sword _should_ have pierced him. But something stopped it. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out the decorated piece of steel he had picked up in town earlier that day. "Looks like the Brotherhood protected me."

"Hmmm..." Leone was too focused on the fight to see Altaïr's reaction to the claim.

"Protected?" He repeated, lost to just that had occurred as he watched Akame prepared to charge towards her target.

"I don't think he was being serious," Leone stated, moving to intercept her friend.

Tatsumi dropped the trinket and brought up his hands, trying to reason with the black-haired swordswoman as she closed in on him and Aria. "Just wait a second! You're after money or something, right?! You don't have to kill Aria! She didn't do anything! She's innocent!"

His pleadings fell on deaf ears. She kept coming. His eyes locked onto the blade. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as it swiped towards his neck. Just as it was about to cut into him, it stopped.

"What are you doing?" Akame asked, tilting her head back to look at Leone, who had grabbed her hair.

"We still have some time to kill, so I want to return a favor." She looked over to the male she had robbed blind and winked. "It's only fair."

Tatsumi was bewildered. Why would this woman owe him anything? He had never seen her before. Or had he? He took a long at her, and the details started to paint a picture of a blonde, busty woman. "You?!"

"Yep! The beautiful maiden! Although I can't really call myself maiden anymore, can I, Al?"

The voice of an unamused man emitted from behind him. "Don't drag me into this."

Tatsumi spun around to see the man who had jumped out the window earlier bend down to pick up the steel symbol of the Brotherhood. He looked like he wanted to ask a few questions, but held his tongue, opting instead to back up until Aria was in front of him.

Leone walked towards the locked door of the warehouse. "You asked us not to kill your little friend there, because she's innocent," she recalled. A massive padlock kept the doors closed, but one swift strike shattered it. "Take a look in here, and tell me if she's still free of guilt."

The smell of rot filled the air as Tatsumi stepped forward and beheld the horrors within. Machinery and steel all around, covered with innards and countless cadavers strung all throughout the massive room.

Seeing that her situation was all downhill for her, Aria turned on her heels and tired to sneak off, only to be met with the man who had arrived with the blonde.

"Your father's blood," he said, bringing out his left arm while grabbing her with the right. "Before he passed on, I told him you too would face judgement."

Back at the doors, Tatsumi's eyes focused on something. One of the victims, with smooth black hair adorned with a flower. "Sayo?"

"She was somebody you knew?" Leone asked, not waiting for a response. "This is what your friend and her family were really like. They lure in people from the country with sweet words, and then indulge in their hobby."

"It's a lie!" Aria shouted, her eyes saturated. "I didn't know anybody was in there, or what was going on! Who are you going to believe, Tatsumi?! The people who gave you warmth, or the psychos who just showed up and started killing everybody?!"

As she denied the horrendous truth, Altaïr thought about just how sick in the head the girl in front of him had to be. So young, with so much blood on her hands. This Capital was one giant abbatoir, it seemed. Was this what awaited the lands if the Templars took control?

A weak, almost broken voice called out from within the nightmarish hangar. "Tatsumi? Is that you?"

The country boy forced his eyes to move towards the origin of the words, and came across another absurd sight. Another one of his closest friends, covered in sores and barely standing up behind the bars that confined him.

"Ieyasu?!" Tatsumi was numb. His legs refused to work and his mouth was drier than sand.

"Hey buddy," Ieyasu said with an obviously forced smile. "Don't believe a word she says. Me and Sayo met her too. After they fed us, we passed out. When we came, we were in here." He stopped for a moment to steady himself. Tatsumi wanted to run over and help, but his body felt like it had shut down on him. Ieyasu continued, "she tortured Sayo to death, and laughed the whole time!"

The information was enough to make Aria drop her facade. She tried, and failed, to pry herself from his grip and began screaming.

"You're all just useless hicks from the country! I should be free to do whatever I want to you! You're just animals!"

 _ **"Enough."**_ Altaïr didn't need to hear anymore. Keeping his grip on her, he prepared to bury his hidden blade into her neck.

"No, wait!" Tatsumi shouted. It felt as if a levi had broken within him as he lumbered back out into the open.

"Really?" Leone raised an eyebrow. "After all that you've seen, you're still going to defend her?"

"No." He grabbed his sword with a vice, and fury consumed his eyes. He sprinted towards Aria. "SHE'S MINE!"

Not wanting to possibly get sliced open, Altaïr let go of the young sadist and backed up. He watched as the righteously enraged traveler put all his strength in one swing of his blade. Steel cut through Aria's midsection as if she were made of smoke.

She let out a noise of realization and fell to the ground.

 **XXXXXX**

Something felt off. Tatsumi pried his eyes away from Aria, and saw why. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating. There was nothing around him. It was a void. Black and yet full of skimmers; it was as if the sky had turned into obsidian.

"What is this?!" He exclaimed, his words echoing. "Where am I?!"

"That's a good question."

Tatsumi looked around and saw that he was not alone. On what could only be called the ground was a small layer of water that reached past the soles of his boots, and standing in it along with him was Aria looking just as confused, and standing before her was the hooded man who continued his explanation.

"I don't know the definite answer myself, but I think it's a sort of place between plains of existence." He gently said to Aria, "rest now. You will cause no more pain."

Aria coughed, blood escaping her lips. On her dress appeared a small patch of red which slowly grew. She drew her last breath. "So this is what it feels like..."

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi had no idea what he had just experienced, or if it was even real. He saw that he, the man, and what remained of Aria were back in front of the warehouse of horrors.

He had slain her, and yet that anger within him did not go away.

Altaïr could tell what was going on in the young man's mind and grabbed his shoulder. "No. Calm yourself."

Tatsumi reared on him. "She deserves so much worse! She should have suffered more!"

"No. She deserves to be shown respect, as do-"

"Respect?! Would she have shown it to you?! She was going to kill me! She tortured my friends!"

Altaïr looked at him carefully. "Do not allow yourself to become like her."

Tatsumi couldn't believe what had just been said to him. "I could **never** be _**anything**_ like her!"

"Indeed? So right now, you don't wish she was still here so you could throw _her_ into one of those vile machines?"

"I... I..." Tatsumi couldn't find a honest counter to that piercing question.

 **XXXXXX**

 **I've started using the term "Hidden Ones" from _Origins_ to avoid confusion, because after rereading the manga, I found that the members of Night Raid referred to themselves as "assassins."**

 ***: Yes, according to _Brotherhood_ and _Revelations,_ Eagle Sense was something Altaïr actually could do and was not just a gameplay mechanic.**


	3. Respect (Or Lack Thereof)

**Chapter III: Respect (Or Lack Thereof)**

 **XXX Several weeks ago XXX**

 _"Al Mualim takes issue with the work he does. I'm meant to end it."_

 _Leone, carefully leaning over the opening in the roof of the building Altaïr had jumped down into, listened intently. This had to be good._

 _Another voice, a man she did not recognize, continued the conversation. "I trust you have searched the area, to better understand your enemy?"_

 _"Yes," Altaïr answered. "I have learned that Tamir rules over the Souk Al-Silaah. He makes his fortune selling arms and armor, and is supported by many. Blacksmiths, traders, financiers. He may very well be one of the most profitable death dealers in the Capital, perhaps even the Empire."_

 _Leone was surprised to hear that. She had heard of the place, but never of the man, and yet he was exactly the sort of "problem" Night Raid specialized in solving._

 _The other man inquired, "and have you devised a way to rid us of this plight?"_

 _"A meeting is being arranged at Souk Al-Silaah to discuss an important deal," Altaïr respond. "From what I've overheard, it's the largest deal Tamir has ever made. He'll be distracted with his work. That's when I'll strike."_

 _"Your plan is acceptable. I give you leave to go." A moment of silence passed before he continued. "Let Al Mualim's will be done. You may rest here until you are ready."_

 _Hearing that, Leone hastily got back up on her feet and ran towards the edge of the roof. She had only known Altaïr for a few days, but she knew a few things about him, including that his work ethic was along the lines of "rest when it's over" more than anything. She also knew he would not take kindly to her eavesdropping on Brotherhood business._

 _Pulling himself back into the sunlight, Altaïr jumped down into the street without a second thought with a blonde on his tail._

 _Leone kept her distance behind him, determined not to lose him. "I gotta see this," she said to herself quietly. How did a Hidden One go about their tasks? She had seen him tinkering with that bracer he constant wore on his left arm, and had discovered that it housed a dagger. That had her think that subtly played a major part in all of it._

 _After some twists and turns, she saw that he was unwittingly leading her into a slum. Ahead of her, she saw a beggar, her hands interlocked as if she were praying, run up to Altaïr. He didn't stop, so she too moved to keep a pace next to him. Leone could guess he had been chosen because his pure white robes made him look like he had some scratch to spare, especially compared to everyone around him._

 _"Please sir! I have so little!" Her words fell on deaf ears. Altaïr kept walking, paying her no mind. She again tried to pry into his humanity. "If you spare but just a few coins..."_

 _After the second attempt, the Hidden One reacted. He planted his palm on her mouth, with his fingers going over her eyes and around her nose, and pushed her away. He put enough force into his arm to send her tripping over herself. Picking herself off the ground with a face filled with hurt and sorrow, she walked away from the Assassin._

 _With an unimpressed veneer, Leone continued following him. She could feel the eyes of the men around her glue themselves on, but paid them no mind. Eventually he made a sharp turn, and as soon as she copied the action, she found that he had led her to a courtyard, and that he was gone._

 _"Huh, not bad," she said, her eyes darting around trying to find the Hidden One._

 _A man swinging around a terribly crafted sword, two kids chasing each other, a woman sitting on a fountain smoking, but no Altaïr. Undeterred, she kept looking._

 _"... your men have failed to fill the order, which means_ I _have failed my client."_

 _Those words filled her ears. Looking towards where they had originated, she saw two men approaching the area, one of whom she surmised had to be Tamir. He wore intricate, decorated clothing that probably cost as much as the houses around him. For a moment, Leone thought if he had slashed any beggars with the sword fastened to his waist. Accompanying him was a man who looked like he was a part of the slum, with burns on his hands and face._

 _"We need more time," the second man desperately reasoned._

 _"These are the words of a lazy, or incompetent man," Tamir spat. "Which are you?"_

 _"Neither."_

 _"What I see says otherwise." They stopped in front of the fountain. Tamir's decadent appearance turned a few heads, but most of the people around seemed more interested in other things. "Now tell me, what do you intend to do to solve this problem of ours? These weapons are needed **now."**_

 _The accomplice had an expression of defeat. "I see no solution. The men work day and night. But your... client requires so much. And the destination... it is a difficult route."_

 _Tamir shook his head in frustration. "If only you could produce weapons with the same skill as you do excuses."_

 _"I have done all I can."_

 _Tamir growled. "It is not enough."_

 _"Then perhaps you ask too much." The weaponsmith began to walk away._

 _"Too much?" The tone in those two words were enough for the two death dealers to lock eyes once more. "I gave you everything. Without me, you would still be polishing guard armor for spare coins. All I asked in return was that you fill the orders I bring you, and you say I ask too much?"_

 _The two men stared at each other in a silence that was broken by Tamir spitting in the merchant's face._

 _"You dare disrespect me?" Tamir's voice dripped with venom, making his employee quiver with terror._

 _"Please, I meant no insult."_

 _"Then you should have kept your mouth shut!" Grabbing a knife k_ _ept in his jacket, Tamir slashed at the man's torso, making blood spill onto the ground. That sight caught everyone's attention, but also made them back up._

 _"Please! Stop!" He begged, keeping his hands pressed on the gaping wound. He fell to his knees coughing._

 _"Stop?" Tamir looked down at him with a twisted smile. He let out a sickening laugh. "I'm just getting started!"_

 _Making true on his words, Tamir slashed his victim more. Screams filled the air but nobody did anything. Gone was Tamir's sadistic glee. Now there was only rage, which he took out on the man who had apparently disrespected him. Now on his knees, the merchant kept one hand on the ground to keep himself steady, and the other was firmly on his initial wound. Tamir grabbed the back of his neck and stabbed the dagger into his back several times._

 _After he was satisfied with the merchant's number of wounds, he pushed the cadaver into the fountain. After a few moments, the clear water turned to a hideous crimson. A bystander moved to grab the corpse, but Tamir intervened._

 _"No," he ordered. "Leave the body." He brought up an arm, pointing all over the crowd that had gathered. "Let this be a lesson to the rest of you. Think twice before telling me something cannot be done." He gave them all a dismissive wave, walking away to inspect the efforts of his other workers. "Get back to work."_

 _The crowd dispersed, but Leone stayed where she was, looking at the now red water. She could see why Altaïr had been ordered to put this man down._

 _"Where are you?" She asked under her breath, looking around. Altaïr really could vanish, apparently... or perhaps not from her. Across the courtyard, on a bench, she could see him. His hiding spot was a perfect one. He sat between two people, one in a deep sleep, and the other hopelessly drunk, making it so neither would notice him while also acting as a camouflage. Wondering just when he intended to make his move, an unsuspecting guard walked in front of him. That's when he struck._

 _In one fluid motion, he stood up and drove his hidden blade into the man's throat while covering hi_ _s mouth with the free hand. Not missing a beat, he stepped to the side and guided the Capital's newest dead body into the spot he had sat on seconds ago. The whole event proved to be surreptitious, as nobody noticed it. Content with his work, Altaïr made his way over to Tamir, who was busy berating another weaponsmith._

 _"Pathetic!" He shouted, looking at the swords and rifles in the inventory. "Absolutely pathetic! Where did you-"_

 _His question would next be completed. As he scolded his employee, Altaïr had gained momentum, breaking into a light run, and had pluged his blade into Tamir's vital area. After making death imminent for Tamir, Altaïr held onto the back of his neck and torso, and slowly lowered him to the ground._

 _For a moment, Leone could have sworn both of them stopped moving entirely. They seemed to freeze for an instant before Altaïr grabbed something from inside his robes; the feather of an eagle. He carefully drafted it over the wound he had inflicted, coating it with blood. Only after the strage ritual was done did Altaïr run off._

 **XXX Present time XXX**

"Ah, sweet memories," Leone said to herself as she waved goodbye to the rest of Night Raid (and the country boy) as they vanished into the night. Turning back and making her way towards the warehouse, she heard clanging coming from within the darkness for a few seconds before Altaïr stepped back into the open, holding the country boy's deceased female friend as if she were his bride.

"Would you kindly grab the boy?" He asked, making his way to the path, intent on returning to the now empty manor.

"What exactly are we doing?" She asked as he did as he requested. Getting used to the extra weight, she followed him.

"Being respectful," he said plainly, not looking back at her.

"Okay then." As the two of them trekked back to the mansion, the silence started to get to her. "Wild day, right? Paranoid Templars and wide-eyed country folk."

"It certainly was," he responded. She didn't try to pry more words out of him as he kicked the house doors in. She still wasn' exactly sure what they were doing, but she still did as he did and followed him into what had to be the master bedroom. He gently set the girl down on the bed and carefully wrapped her in the blanket.

"It's better than leaving them exposed," he explained, taking the boy out of her arms and into another bedroom to repeat the process.

"Ah," Leone nodded, her eyes drifting from the rudimentary mummy to a jewelry box.

A minute later, Altaïr, holding the boy wrapped in linens, walked back into room to find Leone now wearing several bejeweled rings and necklaces.

"What?" She asked innocently. "It's not like they'll be missed." She laughed as she picked up Sayo. "I'm surprsed you aren't complaining about this being beneath you," Leone teased as her mate led her back to the entrance.

"All of those who have passed deserve respect to some degree."

Leone pondered on that. Sometimes the lessons of the Brotherhood just didn't make sense to her.

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi's arms burned. His chest felt like it was tearing itself apart, but he didn't care. Digging into the dirt once more with the shovel some member of Night Raid had given him, he flung more earth out of the grave he had dug. Taking a moment to look at how deep and wide he had gone, he was satisfied and pulled himself out of the hole. The black-haired swordswoman looked at him blankly. She had stood behind him the entire time, not helping but also not getting in his way. She had said a single word since he started.

Dropping the spade, he panted as he looked at what would be the final resting places of Sayo and Ieyasu. The busty blonde had said she and "Al" as she called him would bring their bodies back. Part of Tatsumi had little reason to believe her, but something else within him said otherwise in this case.

As he wiped the dirt off his hands, he wondered how long he had been digging. The sun had risen not ling ago, but that was all that he had to go on. He left the weight of his labor on him, but it was satisifying that he had prepared the burial on his own.

"They're here," the girl who had tried to kill him said with the emotion of a statue. He looked over and sure enough, the two killers were holding what had to be his friends wrapped up.

The man in white looked at the fresh graves. "Which one is for Ieyasu?"

Tatsumi felt a tinge of respect and appreciation that he had remembered the name, and pointed to the left hole. "That one."

Keeping hold on the body, he carefully stepped down into the grave.

Desperate to not let the dour situation consume him, Tatsumi asked something that had been at the back of his mind. "Are the Hidden Ones real?"

"Yes." He gently placed Ieyasu down, and climbed out.

"Are... are you one of them?"

Altaïr carefully took Sayo from Leone's arms and repeated the process. "I am."

Tatsumi picked up the shovel and began refilling the burial spots. The burning sensation made itself known again, but he ignored it. Ieyasu and Sayo deserved to properly rest in peace as soon as possible.

"Maybe we should leave him alone... for now," Leone whispered. Altaïr and Akame nodded in agreement.

 **XXXXXX**

"You think he's gonna be okay?" Leone asked as she and Altaïr made their way through streets and passed unsuspecting guards. "He's been sitting in front of those graves for days."

"He needs time to mourn," Altaïr said. "Some take longer than others."

Leone shrugged at that. "Hey, I never asked. What's with the feathers? Are they trophies or something."

"No. Proof and tradition. To confirm the kill."

"Okay, the proof I get, but how is it a tradition?"

"According to what I've read in the Masyaf library, Bayek, one of the founders of the Brotherhood, would brush feathers across his targets after slaying them, but it isn't written as to why he did so."

"Huh. Neat. Where exactly are we going?" She hadn't been paying much attention during Altaïr's visit to Malik earlier.

"A warehouse full of people held against their will."

"Are those becoming our thing or something?" She joked.

He didn't respond, instead opting to guide her past a patrol of guards. They had not done anything wrong, but he definetly preferred to be as seen as little as possible. She followed his lead to a massive building. The entrance was unguarded, a fact that struck both of them as strange. But seeing no other accessible way inside, they stepped through.

"This has to be a trap," she said.

"Obviously," he said. The hallway the ventured into was dimly lit and narrow, and weak moans could be heard bouncing off the walls.

No sooner were they inside did a massive metal door come down, sealing off the exit.

"See, I told you! Trap!"

 **XXX Omake XXX**

Leone walked down one of the halls of Night Raid's main dwelling. The cupboards were almost out of liquor, making her want to make a casual venture into the Capital sooner rather than later. Coming across a certain room she knew was currently empty but seldom entered, she stopped. Altaïr's chamber. Hardly anyone besides the Hidden One went in out of worry of getting a Hidden blade across their neck or a knee in their gut.

But right now that wasn't stopping her. Opening the door, she took in what beheld her. Evidently, he had hung a banner with the symbol of the Brotherhood on the far wall. A well-sized bed with the same patterns of the cushion from the Bureau she had invited herself into was in the back corner. Two chests next to each other occupied the left side, and mounted on the right wall was numerous weapons. Swords, daggers, guns, and crossbows. She liked the idea of a makeshift armory should the worst happen and the Empire find out where the base was.

Walking over and kneeling down, she opened the first chest. Within it was another set of the white robes her paramour constantly wore. A smile crept onto her face.

It took a few minutes, but she eventually managed to fasten and buckle everything in the right places. She wish Altaïr had sprung for a mirror, but could tell enough from looking down. Being a few inches shorter than her mate, the bottom trimming dragged along the floor.

"A little warm, but soft," she said, running her hands down her sides. She looked up at the banner and made her voice drop an octave. "Nothing is real and everything is allowed." She flexed her wrist, imitating how Altaïr prepared his signature weapon. "I leap across rooftops and jump off towers. May my blade send you all off to..." She trailed off, feeling that something was off. Turning around, she saw Mine standing in the doorway with eyes as wide as they could be.

"What... are you doing?" The sniper asked.

Leone blinked. "Uh... I'm drunk?"


	4. Mired In Subtlety

**Chapter IV: Mired In Subtlety**

 **XXXXXX**

"Well, now what do we do?" Leone asked.

"Keep going," Altaïr answered, making his way further in.

 _For a guy who comes from a bunch of stealth-obsessed killers, he sure uses the front door a lot,_ she said inwardly.

The warehouse was dark and reeked, almost like those sadistic noble's house of horrors, but the odor was not as pungent. Moans could be heard bouncing off the walls of the narrow hallway they found themselves in. Altaïr was liking this less and less, not that he had a positive opinion of it in the first place.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of heat on his back. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Leone engulfed in flames. If anyone besides a Member of Night Raid had seen it, they would have panicked or ran. But he knew better. This always preceded her transformation. The flames died away, leaving her in a bestial form. Her hair was longer, she had pointed cat ears sprouting from her mane, and her hands had replaced by claws. He knew that if he looked at her back, he would see that she had also sprouted a tail.

"They already know we're here, so why not get ready?" She asked with a smile and a shrug.

"That... is a good idea," Altaïr admitted.

She winked at him. "Maybe I should stay like this tonight when we have our _fun._ "

While he silently admitted the idea was enticing, they had a job to do. "Focus, _Labiwa._ " He led the way deeper into the hideout, not liking the lack of opposition. The trap, he suspected, had not yet being completely sprung.

Leone sniffed the air. "This place reeks."

"I can see why," Altaïr said. Off to the side was what could have passed as an oversized birdcage, and it was an unconscious man who obviously hadn't bathed in days, perhaps even weeks. Beyond it was hallways splittng off and lined with cells. In the middle of the floor was a series of spiderholes blocked off by metal grating, and in one was a man who looked barely lucid. He reached through the holes of his locked barricade.

"Help me! Please!" His words were pure desperation. Judging by his lesions and marks, the man often indulged in narcotics.

Altaïr knelt down and looked him in the eye. "We will. But for now I need you to wait. We'll deal with those who put you here. We will come back for you, all of you. I swear."

"You really do mean that, right?" Leone asked as he stood up, intent on making him keep that promise no matter what.

"Of course. If we let them out now, we will have to watch our backs _and_ theirs."

Out of the corner of his vision, Altaïr spied a window on what had to be the second floor of the warehouse, and in it was a silhouette of a person. Whether or not it was his target was unclear, but it did confirm that he and Leone weren't alone.

"What now, slaver?" He called out as the shade walked out of sight.

"Do not call me that!" Responded an offended man, his voice reverberating off the walls. "I only want to help them, as I myself was."

"Help them?" Leone would have laughed at that. "I don't think locking them up counts as that."

"You do not understand," the man whom Altaïr was beginning to strongly think was Talal insisted. "I keep them safe. Preparing them for the journey that lies ahead."

"What journey?" Altaïr was not convinced to any degree. "You'll deliver them to a life of servitude."

Taking advantage of her mate keeping the disgusting excuse for a man occupied, Leone sniffed the air once more, trying to pinpoint just where the slaver was.

The trafficker laughed at the accusation. "I thought I could open your eyes. You both know nothing."

"I know enough!" Altaïr refuted louder than intended, his pride showing itself. "Show yourself!"

Rather than more words, the rustling of chains and the creaking of a winch filled the air as a steel portion of wall slid up, revealing another massive chamber to the two assassins.

With no other direction, they stepped through, feeling it fall and close behind them.

"Ah, so you want to see the man who called you here," the slaver said from above in the gallery.

"You did no such thing! We came here on our own." Altaïr focused his words on him as several armed men made their way around above, circling them. Leone wondered for a moment why they preferred swords and bows over guns before it hit her: the noise from firearms would definetly bring unwanted attention to this highly illegal establishment.

Condescending laughter came from above. "Did you? Who unbarred the door? Cleared the path? Did either of you once raise your arms against any man of mine?"

"Something tells me we're about to," Leone murmured.

Having not heard her, their target continued. "No. All of this, I did for you. And I am willing to grant you one final favor." With those words, half a dozen goons jumped down from their high ground to surround them. Leone tensed and Altaïr drew his blade, ready for a fight. The lackeys made no further movement towards them as footsteps echoed in the room, above, stepping into a ray of light seeping from one of the windows, came a tanned man with a hunting bow on his back. This had to be Talal. "Now, I stand before you."

"Enough talk! Come down here!" Altaïr pointed his free hand at him. "We'll settle this like men! And woman!" He added, giving a brief glance to Leone.

Talal shook his head. "Why must it always come to violence. I cannot help you, for you do not wish to help yourselves."

Leone glared at him. "I wouldn't accept help from you if I was bleeding out in the middle of the street!"

Talal let out a disappointed sigh. "I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice..." he turned and walked back into the darkness, waving dismissively. "You must die."

His men took that as their command and charged. Unfortunately for them, the two rebels were prepared for that. Easy dodging one of the goon's strike, Altaïr drew back his arm, and plunged his sword into the man's chest. With the damage done, Altaïr pulled his steel out of his latest victim and focused on another slaver who charged him with his sword high in the air. Amateur approach. Altaïr waited, and as the enemy swung his sword down, aiming for Altaïr's shoulder. The Hidden One countered the attack, stopping the swing with his own blade, and, not missing a beat, flexed the fingers and wrist of his left hand. With his Hidden Blade unsheathed, he plunged it into his foe's neck, eliminating another fighter.

Leone was enjoying herself. These guys talked big game, but they were obviously used to nobody fighting back. Two of them tried to hack at her, but with Lionelle's granted speed, they may have well been swinging at smoke.

"Are you even trying?" She mocked with a smile on her face. With their frustration growing, their attacks became less focused. Effortlessly dodging the blades, she dug her claws into one of the slaver's stomach and dragged them along, making him bleed profusely. Instantly he no longer cared about killing the blonde, dropping his sword and pressing his hands on the middle of his foot-long wound. As he screamed in agony, his comrade looked at him with dread and horror, not paying attention to his own problem. Capitalizing on this, Leone balled her paw into a fist, reared her arm back, and delivered a punch so forceful, he went flying back, colliding with another swordsman, both of them breaking several bones.

With a moment of respite before more of Talal's minions swarmed them, both assassins looked upward towards the gallery. Spotting an archer readying an arrow, Altaïr quickly reached over his shoulder to his knife bandolier. Grabbing two handles, he tossed them; his aim paid off as one buried itself in the man's hand and the other in his chest, eliminating his ability to shoot. Leone spied Talal, who looked aware that he was losing control of the situation and was backing away to ladder that, from what she could tell, would lead him to the roof. His escape wasn't an option for Altaïr. Thinking quickly, she grabbed her lover's shoulder.

"Brace yourself," she said as he looked at her with confusion. Lifting him up, she carefully grabbed his leg as well, not wanting her claws to cut him. Winding back slightly, she swung her arms and tossed him. As he went up to the second floor, he did as she requested, preparing for impact. Her aim proved to be as reliable as his own. He landed on the intended spot, rolling to a stop on his back. Momentarily disoriented, his senses cleared as he heard a frightened Talal shout.

"Keep him away from me!"

Altaïr's vision focused on the head slaver desperately climbing a ladder. Knowing what he had to do, he picked himself and sprinted after him, but stopped as concern seeped into his mind. Looking down at the lower level, he saw Leone still messing around with Talal's followers, obviously having fun.

"Just go!" She happily called out. "I got this under control!"

He hesitated for a split second as images of his first love dug into his mind, but he shook it off, confident she could indeed handle her situation. Climbing up the ladder after Talal, he came to a trapdoor and forced it open. He was met with a purple and orange sky. The sun was setting. Good. The encroaching darkness would obscure him as he chased down his target. Bringing himself fully onto the roof, he scanned the area for Talal. He quickly caught sight of him, clumsily making his way to the street. Altaïr looked forward to what was about to unfold. He looked down to the street, he saw a wagon of hay. What he did next came naturally. Stepping back and taking aim, he launched himself over the edge. Landing where he wanted to, albeit rougher than he expected, he pulled himself out of the yellow mass, he again locked his sights on Talal, who also saw him and instantly broke into a sprint with the Hidden One in hot pursuit.

While Talal did have the lead, he constantly looked over his shoulder to see if he had lost the man determined to put steel in his neck. This made him collide with passersby, closing the gap between the two men. Altaïr, unconcerned with what was behind him, kept his sprint up at full speed, homing in on the human trafficker.

 **XXXXXX**

 _"Grazie,"_ Ezio Auditore said, handing over a silver coin to the food vendor. Turning on his heels, he dug his teeth into the piece of he had purchased, savoring the taste. Evil Bird, they called it. Had the Florentine knew they were edible, he would have consumed some of the one he had killed between the Capital and the coast.

Thinking about what he had gathered in the day, what little there was, he heard something down the road. Shouting and screaming. Looking over, he saw people being shoved over by a very tan man with a massive bow slung on his back who was running for his life it seemed. Not far behind him was something that made Ezio freeze. A man wearing robes not unlike the set Ezio donned was gaining on the first man.

"Perhaps we can come to an agreement?!" The bowman desperately shouted over his shoulder. The chaser evidently wasn't in the mood to compromise as he said nothing and kept his pace. As the odd pair slithered and mowed through the crowd and out of sight, two guards came in from the opposite direction, one pointing at Ezio.

"There he is!"

Before Ezio could decide whether to defend himself in a verbal or lethal sense, the vendor who had sold to him not moments ago spoke up. "Wrong man! He went that way!"

The guards remained skeptical, but a few agreeing shouts from the throng convinced them and they quickly made their way.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ezio turned back to the butcher. _"Grazie ancora."_ He looked down at himself, at his ivory robes and mentally chastised himself. _Why did I have to detour to Roma? Then again, Niccolò couldn't have foreseen this..._ "Is there a tailor around here, _gentile signore?"_

 **XXXXXX**

"I can make you rich!" Talal was running out of bribes as he shoved a woman out of his way. He swore he could hear the assassin's robes flapping with ever step.

Altaïr gave the same answer; silence.

Talal seemed to learn from his mistakes of running through crowds and turned sharply into an empty alley. His lungs burned and his legs felt as if they were about to fall off. He forced himself to keep going, despite the feelings of impending shutdown. With his lungs empty, he again looked behind himself, and felt a wave of relief crash into him. The Hidden One was gone. Allowing himself to slow down, he gasped for breath and tried to mentally trace a path back to his warehouse. Coming to the alley's exit, he found himself on a mostly street. Panting like a starved dog, he felt lightheaded for a moment, and then a blur of white came charging from his side.

Altaïr ran, and leapt onto the trafficker, forcing his signature weapon into Talal's most vital spot.

 **XXXXXX**

"Your schemes are at an end," Altaïr said, looking down at Talal.

"You call them schemes. I call them callings," the dying man declared. "Think about it. The men and women I took into my care. Beggars, whores, addicts, lepers. Do they strike you as proper slaves, capable of even the most menial of tasks? No. I took them in not to sell, but to save them. And yet you would kill us all... just because it was asked of you."

"No. You profit from all of this. From lives lost and broken."

"Oh, you would think that, ignorant as you are. You don't see the irony of all this, but you will..."

 **XXXXXX**

Dragging the feather along Talal's wound and staining it with blood, Altaïr remembered the promise he had made to the captured man, he ran his hands along the slaver's pockets, eventually finding exactly what he was looking for. A ring of keys. Those in that warehouse clearly couldn' have been moved to their buyers without being let out of their cages.

As he made his way back, it seemed the debacle he and Talal had caused had already been mostly forgotten as quickly as it had happened; nobody pointed him out and even a couple guards just walked right past him. People, it seemed, hardly cared about misfortune unless it happened to them.

Coming to the warehouse, he climbed up the walls. The door he and Leone was sealed shut, but the roof entrance he had used might very well still be open.

Coming up the top of the building, he saw he did indeed still have a way inside. Climbing back down into the chamber, he had to squint to see before his eyes adjusted. Several of Talal's men were occupying the floor, not moving and drenching it with blood. But no Leone. That worried him until a voice rang off the walls.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Quickly jumping down and running to the room with the cages, he was met with a sight that would have made anyone happy: innocent people being liberated.

Leone, still transformed, had torn open several of the cell doors and the unwilling occupants had made off to their rightful freedom.

"Oh there you are," Leone greeted, forcibly opening another one. "I already opened the door for them." She smirked, knowing that from the way he came, he had scaled to the roof to get back inside.

The woman she had just freed burst into grateful tears. "I'll never forget this!" She sobbed as she ran off.

Feeling accomplishment, Altaïr knelt down, again locking eyes with the man he had spoken to earlier.

"I'm a man of my word," he said, trying each key until coming to the correct one. He unlocked the grating and opened it. He reached in and grabbed the man's wrists pulling him up.

"Bless you!" The free addict too made his way to the outside.

 **XXXXXX**

Rosa worried about many things at once. Her leg wound still sent messages of discomfort randomly, making her afraid that she would call off a high building without warning or preparation.

Antonio's lackadaisical approach to most issues was starting to wear thin, making it impossible to tell if it was an act or how he truly reacted to their problems.

And currently, Ezio had been absent from their dwelling all day. Sure, he wasn't a child but when someone vanished in the Capital without explanation, it usually meant the worst had happened to them.

As she pondered on what she should, or even could, do, the door opened. She looked over, and her first instinct was to grab a weapon. She was not familiar with anyone who wore the gun-metal grey that colored the intruder's garb. But after an instant, she began to realize just who it was. The robes were obviously of the Brotherhood, and then there was the scarlet cape covering the left arm.

"Ezio?"

"The one and only," he replied with a smirk, lowering his freshly dyed hood.

"Why the new color? Trying something new?" She asked with missed eyes.

Ezio shook his head. "You will not believe what happened to me today."

Before either of them could say another word, a third voice spoke up. "It wouldn't, by chance, involve a white-clad maniac chasing down an archer, would it?"

Antonio, sublime thief and ally to the Florentine seeker of vengeance, walked in with a wine bottle in his hand.

Ezio couldn't believe he already knew the story. "How?"

"Like I told you when we first met, _fratello mio,_ we have eyes and ears all over this festering rat nest."

 **XXXXXX**

Malik found some respite in the loss of his arm; it had not been his dominant limb. Carefully running pen along parchment, he continued to trace out turns and twists in the roads he walked by day, taking note of alleyways and dead ends. He found tranquiliy in his maps, such preciseness and care went into the art. It reminded him of assassinations.

Hearing the rustling of metal come down from above, he sighed and withdrew his own, not wanting to make a mistake.

A scout for the Bureau dropped down and leaned on the doorway panting for breath.

Recalling what Altaïr had told him about his next target as well as what day it was, Malik didn't need to hear the knews.

"What has he done this time?"

 **XXXXXX**

"That felt good," Leone mused as she changed back to normal. It had taken time, but all of Talal's cargo had been set free. "Is this the part where we go and see your angry friend?"

"Yes." Although Altaïr doubted Malik would ever call him a friend in any sense of the term. He led the way to the Bureau, Leone on his arm. "He who saves one life, saves the world entire."

"Whoa. That's deep. Did you just come up with that?"

"No. I read it in Masyaf long ago." The Brotherhood's Levant base had a massive library. He could lock himself in it for years and never come close to finishing every book.

"How long did you have to chase him?" She asked.

"About a kilometer, more or less." He ignored a prostitutes offer and carefully traversed around a drunkard who was looking for a fight; he had spilled enough blood for one evening. "Were you hurt at all?"

She laughed at the question. "Those guys couldn't have sliced a Dangerbeast's corpse."

Altaïr couldn't help but smirk at the comparison.

Dropping into the Bureau, Altaïr and his mate walked into Malik's dwelling. The one-armed man casually partaking in cartography. His memory of the Capital seemed to be on point.

"Ah, Altaïr," he said with a friendly tone. "Wonderful to see you return! And... How fared the mission?"

Altaïr hesitated. Malik being nice to him? It seemed... wrong. He presented the blood-soaked feather. "The deed is done. Talal is dead."

"Oh I know, I know. In fact..." His facade melted away. "EVERYBODY KNOWS! Have you completely forgotten the meaning of subtlety?"

"No, I used that last night when spicing my steak." Leonne said 'helpfully.'

Both men looked at her for a moment. Malik with an even more irritated expression and Altaïr not sure what to say to her attempt to alleviate, or more likely exacerbate, the tension. So instead he defended his actions to the Rafiq.

"A skilled Hidden One makes sure the job is done no matter what."

"No." Malik was sick of the pride. "We Hidden Ones adapt to and control our situations. Something both of you sorely lack." He glanced at Altaïr's partner. Technically, under the circumstances Al Mualim had set, she was allowed in the Bureau, that didn't mean she was welcome.

"Plans don't survive contact with the enemy," Leone retorted. "Getting the job done matters more than checking off a list." The Brotherhood and Night Raid mave have both been groups of assassins, but the latter functioned more like a military unit and this 'secrecy above all' didn't always work.

"Hence why we emphasise adaptation." Malik looked at Altaïr. "This woman is going to get you killed."

"You'd like that very much," Altaïr said knowingly. Back when both of them were still in Masyaf, Al Mualim had informed the demoted Master Assassin that Malik thought it would be fair for Altaïr to die as he had cost the Rafiq's brother Kadar's life.

Leone added, "and if we hadn't 'adapted,' that walking garbage heap wouldn't be dead."

Malik shook his head. No sense arguing with a woman who associated with Altaïr. "I'll write to Al Mualim, informing him of your success, and all its details. We shall see who he sides with."

"We are on the same side, Malik." Deep down, Altaïr didn't want to make his relationship with Malik any worse.

"Could have fooled me from our lovely chat here though," Leone said as she turned and walked away, climbing out of the Brotherhood's domain.

Altaïr looked back at his comrade, and could think of nothing to say. He left once again on bad terms.

"I apologize for that," he said to Leone as they walked the streets back to base. "Malik and I have never really seen eye to eye."

Leonne shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe, but it's too much fun to tweak his nose. You'd think I'd never massacred my way through an enemy complex before, the way he talks."

"Try not to irritate him too much. He's still technically my superior, and could very easily convince Al Mualim that my being here is a waste of time."

"And I can have the boss send a glowing report about how much of a 'helping hand' you've been," she responded sultrily.

"Hidden Ones tend to trust each other more than 'outsiders,' _Labiwa._ "

Leone turned to him, giving him the dreaded sad eyes with a trembling lip to make the sale. "Are you saying... you don't trust me?"

Not sure if she was playing one of her games or was sincerely hurt, Altaïr gave an honest answer. He slowly ran his left hand down the side of her face. "Why ask a question when you already know the answer? You are very capable in a fight, after all."

Leone's expression fell into an adorable pout and she poked his chest with a finger. "Well if you're going to be all romantic like that, then I can'treally argue, can I?"

"No. You can't." He never thought he'd feel this way again. Not after... He shook his head, making the unwelcome memories go away as they walked.

 **XXXXXX**

"It's just me now..."

Nearly a week had passed, and still Ieyasu and Sayo occupied his every thought. How they swore to bring riches to their village. How they would never stop fighting. And how that if they were to perish, they would do so together.

A series of broken vows.

"Hey."

Tatsumi spun around, taken by surprise. He hadn't heard anyone approach him. Standing there was the busty blonde who had taken every cent he had, smiling warmly, and next to her was the Hidden One who, due to his hood being up, had an unreadable veneer.

"You can't just sulk forever," the sole female said, getting right to the point. "Have you thought about the offer of joining us?" She wrapped her arm around him. "Both us think you've got a talent for killing!"

Tatsumi looked at the hooded man, who gave no word or gesture of confirmation. He just stood there like a shadow. Focusing back on the question, Tatsumi hesitated on it. "I don't really... about murder..."

Leone just smiled down at him before dragging him off, pressing his face into her assets. "Either way, you can crash inside tonight, and in the morning I'll introduce you to everyone! I'm Leone by the way, and that's Altaïr."

Tatsumi managed to force his eyes over to the Hidden One walking alongside them.

Leone got an idea and grinned. "Don't mind him. He's just the extremely jealous type. Just yesterday, a bartender offered me a free drink, and Al cut off his hand."

Both men had reactions to the tale. Tatsumi, realizing why he always saw the two of them together, began to lightly panic. He tried to pry himself away from Leone, but she kept him right where he was. Altaïr, however, was more caught up on the detail of her having called him "Al." A rather strange nickname, he thought.

Leone continued. "And before that, a guy on the street winked at me. Al took the time to carry him up to a roof, and throw him off it."

Tatsumi desperately tried to remove himself from Leone until she finally let him go when they got inside their hideout. She held a finger up to her lips. "Some of our teammates can't function with their eight hours," she whispered as she led them through halls and to a door. Altaïr's room.

"You don't mind, do you?" She asked, not waiting for her Hidden lover to answer. "It's not like you're going to be using it tonight." She purred and winked at him.

Altaïr got the message and opened the door for the boy who would either be the newest member of Night Raid, or their latest victim. "Do. Not. Touch. Anything."

Nodding quickly, Tatsumi stepped inside Altaïr's chamber, the Hidden One closing the door for him. The moonlight seeped in through the walls, illuminating the room for him. Sure the bed was exempt from the "No touching" rule. Before he allowed himself to slip into the realm of dreams, he thought about what Leone had offered him.

Night Raid, it seemed, fought corruption and evil, all to bring justice to this cesspool called the Capital. His memories turned to his dearly departed friends, and guilt pumped itself into. Desperate to not let misery take him over, he frantically looked around for something else to occupy his thoughts.

"This guy sure loves to kill things," he said to himself after his vision came to the wall coated with weapons. His eyes drifted over to the banner hanging overhead. The symbol on it was shaped identically to the one he had seen carved into that wall from that day before everything around him came crashing down.

His mind drifted towards a possibility that was strangely uplifting.

Tatsumi the Hidden One...

 **XXXXXX**

 **Closing Notes: Once again, mordreek helped in writing this chapter.**


	5. Dappertutto

**Chapter V:** ** _Dappertutto_**

 **XXXXXX**

Leone awoke and felt an ache. An admittedly pleasant ache. She had kept true to her suggestion of staying in her bestial form. Her tail wagged as her eyes opened. The first thing she noticed, despite her blurry vision, was that the space next to her was empty. She blinked to make everything clear up, and saw Altaïr had risen before her. He already had his robes back on, although his hood was currently down. He slipped his bracer on and the familiar sound of his signature weapon barely caused the only sound in the otherwise silent room. _Snick_ it went as it both appeared and vanished. He had told her that it was so quiet due to him taking great care of it; something he took great pride in.

As he focused on his steel, Leone's thoughts turned to a few hours earlier. Again, he had snapped awake, sweating and panting, and again she had let it run its course.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, propping her head on one of her paws.

"About what?" He countered, turning around to look at her, focusing on her face rather than her chest.

"We share a bed almost every single night now. Did you really think I wouldn't notice your nightmares?"

He just stared at her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked again.

"No. Not... Not today."

 **XXXXXX**

"Brothers. We are facing a few... setbacks." Robert de Sable's fingers were interlocked and his elbows rested on the round table where he and his peers sat.

Crawford Starrick stirred a fresh cup of tea, waiting for his comrade to elaborate.

"Were you followed?" Germain inquired.

"Of course not." Robert almost felt insulted. "I organized the security for that damned Palace. I know how to get in and out without being spotted."

Torres aimed the conversation back to its point. "What has happened, Robert?"

The knight broke the news. "Tamir and Talal are dead."

The other Grand Masters paused for a moment, taking the news in.

Germain ended the silence. "Was it the Hidden Ones?"

"Possibly. But part of me doubts it. They were murdered in public, surrounded by prying eyes. What matters at the moment is replacing them to keep our plans on track. Torres, how quickly can Rogers and Du Casse be recalled?"

The most aged of the Grand Masters thought of just where his trusted followers were currently deployed. "It will take time. They are far out in the Borneo Islands." He sighed. "I was hoping to make Woodes give up that atrocious pastime of him."

"It is not slavery," Robert reasoned. "We are merely freeing their minds, making superior troops to better prepare for the inevitable collapse."

Torres processed his comrade's words for a moment. "Very well."

"See, brothers?" Starrick sipped his tea. "A few rather important bolts in this precious machine we have built up detached themselves, and we replaced them instantaneously. With us working together, this fertile land shall belong to us."

Germain nodded at that.

Robert continued. "Rodrigo has made himself scarce, chasing more Pieces."

"Where has he gone?" Starrick inquired.

"I don't know. The damn fool never tells me anything of what he does or where he goes."

"He cares nothing for the cause we follow," Torres spat. "His only concern is hoarding power for himself. He should be dealt with."

"And he shall," Robert agreed. "After his usefulness has run out."

Torres stroked his beard, deep in thought. "He'll need to be replaced. Perhaps our General friend would like the position."

Robert pondered on the suggestion. "It would not hurt to ask."

"We'll solve that issue as it comes," Germain said as he hastily wrote on a piece of paper which he passed to Robert. "I believe I have come across something that will greatly assist us. Have the good doctor send his successes here whenever they're ready."

 **XXXXXX**

 **"Gone?!"**

Antonio had expected Ezio to have a negative reaction, just not to such an extreme. His eyes and ears had informed him that the Spaniard had left the Capital, possibly even the Empire entirely.

"Calm down, brother," he urged.

Ezio balled his hands into fists and took several deep breaths. "Where did he go?" He would chase the bastard to ends of every landmass there was if he had to...

 ** _XXX_**

 _Florence felt... peaceful. Ever since Ezio had eliminated the Pazzi, things seemed to calm down, almost like a storm had passed._

 _As he looked at the river, thinking of how he had sent his father and brothers down it for their proper burial, a familiar voice penetrated his ears._

 _"You don't need to hide your face anymore." The only remaining Auditore son turned around and saw the most welcome family friend, Lorenzo. In his arms was a folded cloth of red. "I put good use to those documents you took off of Uberto after giving him his comeuppance. Your family name is cleared and you are a free and innocent man."_

"Grazie mille, _Lorenzo."_

 _"With your rightful freedom, and all the Pazzi out of the picture, are you going to bring your mother and sister back to your family_ Palazzo?"

 _"I don't think so. At least not anytime soon. We've gotten rather comfortable in Monteriggioni." Well, he and Claudia had at least. Two years, and their mother, Maria, had not said a single word. She only prayed and cradled the box of feathers Petruccio had collected for her._

 _Lorenzo gave no discernible reaction to Ezio's answer, and gave him the cloth. Ezio unraveled it, and found that it was a cape bearing the coat of arms for Lorenzo's family._

 _"Should you ever decide to find your way back home, this will make the guards more... lenient should you perform something... less than acceptable."_

 _"You are a true friend, Lorenzo," Ezio said as he clipped the cape onto his robes, letting it fall into place over his left arm._

 _"What will you do now?"_

 _"My uncle Mario has a lead on the one who was pulling Uberto's strings. He's headed north, to the Capital. I'll hunt him down, and make him pay."_

 **XXX**

Seeing just what the young man was getting at, Antonio began to alleviate him further. "Look, if you chase after him, he'll most likely be gone when you reach wherever it was he went, and then you'll be right back where you started. But if you simply wait around here for him to come back..."

Ezio was not convinced. "What makes you so sure he'll return?"

"He's worked to hard to set up all his secrets here. To start all over somewhere else would be a waste of time to him. Besides." He gestured to the slum they had walked into. "He wouldn't want to miss out on all his handiwork."

Ezio looked around. Everything was filthy and barren. Beggars littered the street, desperate for even one coin to tossed out of pity towards them. Half the shops that lined the streets were boarded up. Walking over to one, he could tell it used to belong to a doctor that a sign that read "Condemned" nailed onto the wood planks. The Spaniard and his Templars had done this? He looked down the road, at all the other closed down shops. Some of the essential vendors were still in business; food and clothing merchants still greeted what few customers they had. A peddler with several crates behind him seemed to be selling well, given the line in front of his cart.

"Get it right here, folks!" He cheerfully called out, accepting fistfuls of coin and handing his patrons jade bottles. "Starrick's Soothing Syrup! Sure to help you forget your woes!"

Ezio could not believe it. Drinking some concoction was no substitute for proper medical care. "How much would it cost to renovate this?" He asked, looking back at the abandoned building.

Antonio looked at him with glee. As a thief, the idea of having a debt owed to him and his was most inviting. "Hard to say, Ezio. And besides, I'm guessing you left most of your wealth with your sister."

Ezio had not thought of that.

Antonio patted him on the back. "Fret not, brother." He looked around, making sure they were free of eavesdropping stragglers. "You know, there are people around here who pay good coin to have undesirables... taken care of. Call me crazy, but that sounds right up your alley." They began walking off. "On the other hand, this might not be the best district to put your name on."

"Why is that?"

"We won't see any of them this time of day. Those savages usually come out at night like the wolves they are..."

"Savages? Wolves? _Aspetta..."_ His thoughts drifted to the week he had spent in Roma. "Are the Followers of Romulus around here?"

Antonio was surprised. "Ah, so you'e heard of them?"

"Heard of them? A friend sent me off to smoke them out of Roma before I came here."

"Then you have your work cut out for you, brother. They didn't infest just the seven hills. They've been terrorizing people all throughout the region, frightening people and making them run right into the arms of the Imperial forces."

"The infection has spread."

"No question. But don't worry, brother. My eyes and ears can scope them out, and you can give a certain sharp cure."

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi felt nervous. All of Night Raid (and their resident Hidden One) were standing in a circle around him, with the leader, Najenda, seated right in front of him. She gave off a sense of Danger and authority. The right side of her body had seen better days. Her arm was an emerald prosthetic and she had a patch over the eye.

"So," she lit a cigarette. "Have you decided about officially joining Night Raid?"

"You're just going to kill me if I don't, right?" Tatsumi glanced over to Altaïr, who was tinkering with a bracer. He could see a mechanism on the bottom and inside of the steel piece of armor.

"No. Not kill you," she assured him. "But you know where our base is, so we can't let you leave either."

"We could use a servant," the pink-haired girl, Mine, suggested. Tatsumi didn't have a very positive opinion of her. The only tone she took towards him was that of a superiority complex, demeaning him with every breath.

Najenda paid no mind to her sniper's words, focusing only on the possible initiate. "It's your choice to make."

Tatsumi remained silent. His thoughts raced with no direction. He forced himself to mentally focus on something simple. The reason he ventured to the Capital.

"When I came here, I only wanted to make money to send to my starving village..."

Altaïr ceased tending to his Hidden Blade, letting his eyes focus on the young swordsman as he continued telling his tale.

"... I thought coming here would help all of them, but it's just as bad out here too."

Bulat agreed with the view Tatsumi had. "The center of this Empire is rotten, and everyone around it is suffering. Wouldn't it be for the best to clear out all that filth?"

"Bulat here used to be a high-ranking solider in the Imperial Army," Najenda explained. "That is, until he saw just how corrupt his superiors were. He defected and became one of us."

Bulat nodded. "Getting rid of the evil surrounding everything is far better than working under them."

Tatsumi thought about that. While he saw the sense in it, he couldn't help but see a problem with it. "But... even if you kill bad people here, one at a time, places far away, like my village, aren't going to change for the better, are they?"

Najenda looked at him for a moment. "I think Night Raid would be perfect for you."

Tatsumi was surprised by that. "Huh? Why?"

Najenda grinned, and told him the details of just how the Empire was going to change...

"Far in the south, lies the Revolutionary Army. It started small, but has gradually grown to be a legitimate threat to the Empire's current agenda. Andeventually, they needed a platoon to handle covert operations. That is how Night Raid was founded. Our task, for the foreseeable future, is to pick off the ticks sucking the blood out of the people, but when the Army finds the right time to strike at the man at the core of all this suffering. The Prime Minister!"

Tatsumi couldn't believe it. "That's the goal for all this? The endgame?"

Najenda nodded. "He's the main problem. Sure, there are others."

"Others?" Tatsumi repeated.

Altaïr spoke up. "Templars." He slid his bracer back onto his arm and flexed his wrist, activating his favored weapon.

Tatsumi had no idea what that word meant. "What are those?"

"People who would prefer to have all lives under their heels. They would wipe out freewill in the name of bringing "order" to this world."

"He's right," Najenda said. "Although Templars are more of a problem to be solved later, seeing as they're rather secretive. But there is a plan in place for our victory. This land will begin anew."

Tatsumi paused. "When the Empire starts over, will all the people be treated well?"

"Of course."

The country boy looked down, processing everything he had been told since all of Night Raid had gathered in the room. "I get it." His voice gradually became more enthusiastic. "All the killing you do is just cleaning up the garbage of the Empire, making things better for the abused! You all fight to bring justice!"

The room was silent for a moment, and was then filled with a cacophony. Everyone except Akame and Altaïr laughed at Tatsumi's claim.

"What? What is it?" He didn't think he'd said anything humorous. "What's so funny?"

Eventually, the racket died down and Leone took a breath. "No matter how you look at it, what we do is still murder."

"That doesn't mean there nothing righteous in it." Everyone turned to look at Altaïr. None of them had expected those words to come off of his lips. "Necessary sacrifices. As we pick the rot away, things heal over, making way for a better future. One of peace and freedom."

"Whatever any of us think of what we do," Bulat started, "any of us here could meet our end, and answer for our actions."

Najenda spoke once more. "Everyone here has their own reasons for being here, including you if you choose to join."

There was just one more thing Tatsumi needed to know to make his decision final. "Will there be any money for me in this?"

"Yes. If all goes well, you'll surely be able to save your hometown."

"Then I'm in! And if was for bringing about better tomorrows, Ieyasu and Sayo would have done the same!"

Mine took the opportunity to scoff once more at him. "You know, you might be able to return home for a while, if at all."

"That's fine with me," Tatsumi responded. "So long as everyone else back home gets better lives out of this."

Mine didn't respond. She had not expected him to make such a claim. Determined to have the last word, she let out a simple "hmph."

Najenda held out her mechanical hand. Then it is official. Welcome to the revolution, Tatsumi. Akame, you'll be in charge of training him for now."

"Understood, Boss."

As the group dispersed, Lubbock let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, Altaïr has a new punching bag."

"Don't count on it," the Hidden One growled as Bulat gave a playful slap on his back.

"Care for a sparring match, Altaïr?"

Not having anything on his agenda, the Masyaf native shrugged. No sense in remaining sedentary.

That caught Tatsumi's attention. He figured that Hidden Ones relied mostly on surprise and stealth, but Altaïr was about to fight Bulat? That was something he wanted to see.

"Tatsumi," Akame said behind him, making her newest teammate jump in surprise. "We have a task to complete. Meet me by the sparring area in five minutes.

"That sounds perfect!" He ran off outside, nearly colliding with Leone.

"I think we're on the same page," she said as they sat down to watch. Bulat swung a staff around, warming up, while Altaïr stood where he was, waiting.

"How does he fight in that?" Tatsumi asked as the Hidden One's white robes moved with the breeze.

"A lifetime of training," Leone answered. Bulat swung at him, and Altaïr sidestepped out of the way. Not losing momentum, the Hidden One aimed a kick to his opponent's torso, only to be blocked.

"Are the Hidden Ones another part of the Revolutionary Army?" Tatsumi asked as Bulat landed a strike on Altaïr's shoulder.

"No, they're their own thing," Leone answered as her lover managed to grab hold of the staff and headbutted Bulat.

"Then... Why is he here?"

"Originally, it was a punishment from his leader. He messed up royally, from what I hear."

Tatsumi took that information in. "He's here to pay for a mistake?"

"I think he's starting to like being here. I know I do." Her smile became suggestive.

"Where's he from?"

"From what I gathered, far, far west."

Back in the fight, Altaïr again grabbed Bulat's weapon, and quickly raised his left arm, and swung it down, causing his bracer to break off a sizeable piece of the staff. Keeping a grip on it, he wielded it like he would a sword.

As he became more invested in the brawl in front of him, Tatsumi was again taken by surprise by the woman who had nearly killed him.

"Let's go," Akame said, having silently approached from behind with an oversized basket with straps on her back, offering one to her comrade. Tatsumi knew better than to deny the order, and slung the basket on his own person as Akame led him away uphill.

 **XXXXXX**

"It seems the problems I run into have a tendency to follow me, Leo," Ezio said as he helped his old friend lift up his newest contraption onto a workable. It reminded Ezio of a giant bat.

"I've heard of the Secta Luporum," Leonardo said as he adjusted some notes on the glider. "It seems neither of us expected to see them this far out."

"Certainly not." Ezio sat in a chair and pondered. If getting rid of the Wolves helped destabilize the Spaniard's influence, then he was more than happy to invade their lairs.

"I'm glad you came to visit, Ezio," the inventor said as he rummaged through a chest filled with what Ezio thought to be nothing more than clutter. "I've been making something based off of that Codex page you showed me so long ago in Florence."

"Oh?"

"Absolutely! I've been bankrolling since I got here. You'd be surprised how many people want self-portraits, and how much they're willing to pay for them. Ah here it is!"

Ezio looked at what Leonardo had unearthed for him. It was a bracer, just like the two he had made for Ezio back home, but something at the top of it seemed to curl off like an unruly hair.

Leonardo looked positively excited. "Salai calls it a Hookblade," he said as Ezio look of his right bracer and replaced it with Leonardo's newest weapon. "It works exactly like the other two I made you."

Ezio flexed his wrist, and just like his Hidden Blades, the Hookblade extended out.

"It's very safe to use," Leonardo assured him. "Tested it myself plenty of times."

"Leonardo. _Grazie mille."_ Ezio made the blade retract and hugged his friend. "It's brilliant."

 **XXXXXX**

Altaïr and Bulat panted, their knuckles white from the grip on their makeshift weapons.

"Call it a tie?" Bulat suggested.

"Fine." Altaïr pulled down his hood and wiped the sweat off his brow as Leone grabbed him.

"Okay then, let's go!" Leone smiled, leading the Hidden One out of the fortress.

"Go where?" Altaïr asked.

"A couple days ago, when you were having a screaming match with your old buddy Malik, I went off and accepted a job," she explained. "Apparently this oil baron and a captain of the Imperial Police have a scratch-my-back system. And you and me are gonna go and make sure they're guilty."

"Very well. Lead the way."

And so she did, guiding him towards a rather prosperous borough.

"Exactly what is this job about?"

"Every time the bastard Gamal commits a crime, he bribes the captain, Ogre, to pin the blame on somebody else."

"Exactly how do you know this?"

"The woman who paid me told the story," she explained. "Says Gamal sent her a letter and everything when her fiancè was blamed for one of his crimes. We're here to see if it's all true."

"Okay then."

"And there it is." She pointed to a building that seemed no different than all the others surrounding it.

"What is your plan?"

"Something I'm sure you'll like," she winked. "We climb up and spy."

"That sounds good to me."

 **XXXXXX**

Robert was glad he had chosen to stand in the far corner; he felt sick. The sight of Prime Minister Honest usually had that affect on him. The man was more corpulent than Abu'l Nuquod, but unlike the "merchant king" the Minister had no grace or dignity about him. Even as a man knelt before him, pleading a case Robert could not pretend to have any interest in, Honest continued to stuff his grinning face with greasy meat.

As the two men exchanged words, a guard quietly ran over to the Templar.

"Master," he whispered, clearly out of breath.

Robert nodded to the follower of his Rite. "What is it?" He kept his voice down, not wanting to draw Honest's attention away from the man he had clearly already decided was going to be executed.

"We were down in the catacombs, and... Grand Master, it's gone."

 **XXXXXX**

"In the end, he only caught two fish," Akame said as she, Tatsumi, Leone, the Boss, and Altaïr feasted. Everyone else was absent for a job. "Still, he was far more cooperative than Altaïr was when I took him to gather river tuna."

"I was?" Tatsumi asked after swallowing a mouthful of dinner.

Akame nodded. "He outright refused to get in the water."

"I have my reasons," the Hidden One claimed.

"Is it because you can't swim?" Leone asked.

"I am perfectly capable of keeping myself afloat. I just do not like water."

Najenda couldn't help but laugh at that before getting down to business. "Tell me about this job you two investigated today."

"Gamal and Ogre are guilty. No doubt about it. We spied on Gamal for hours from his attic until we overheard him planning another deal with Ogre."

"Covering up his racketeering and loss of employee lives," Altaïr added.

Leone produced a sack full of money. "She already paid as well."

Tatsumi stared at the burlap. He could tell just by the size it contained more money than he had ever possessed in his life. "She saved up all of that?"

"I could smell a venereal disease on her," Leone stated. "I think... She was selling her body to get it."

The newest member of Night Raid felt a mixture of pity and disgust.

Their leader came to a decision. "Very well. Night Raid accepts this job."

Leone nodded. "Gamal will be easy enough. But Ogre might be a challenge. Due to his position, he spends most of his time in the barracks. But when he's not working, he usually spends the time drinking near the Palace, on Main Street."

Altaïr silently commended her for her ability to gather information. She would make a fine addition to the Brotherhood...

Najeda considered all the options. "Security around the Palace will be tight, so sending Akame would be unwise since she's on the Empire's most wanted list."

"Should we wait for the others to return?" Akame asked.

"But we don't know when they'll be back, right?" Tatsumi asked.

"Correct."

He slammed his hand onto the table. "Then just send-"

"Us," Altaïr cut in.

The other four rebels looked at him.

"Huh?" Leone wasn't sure if he meant him and her.

"The initiate and I can handle Ogre. We're both faceless. Blades in the crowd."

"That's true," Akame consented. "Since joining us, you have eliminated thirty-six targets and have not been spotted once."

Tatsumi gaped at her. "You keep track of that?!"

"It's what friends do," she said evenly.

That statement caught Altaïr's attention. Friends? Sure, he and Leone were (and then some), but the rest of them?

Najenda considered Altaïr's proposal. "Alright then. Tatsumi and Altaïr, your mission to eliminate Captain Ogre. Gamal will be handled by you two," she said to Leone and Akame.

"You got it, Boss!" Leone always looked forward to missions that had even the possibility of violence.

Akame looked at the unlikely male duo. "Altaïr. Try not to let him get killed before he can give his mission report."

One sentence and she had gotten under the skin of both of them.

 **XXXXXX**

"I don't think I'll ever get used to just how fancy this whole place is," Tatsumi said. With them being close to the Palace, everything was immaculate. He looked up at the massive griffin statues before them.

"Do you have a plan, or must I handle all of this?" Altaïr questioned as the two of them made their way towards Main Street.

"I have... an idea," Tatsumi said defensively.

"Is it a _good_ idea?"

 **XXXXXX**

"Ladies, I bid you _buona sera,"_ Ezio said to a trio of young women who had invited him for wine. He had graciously declined. He needed his wits about him tonight. Antonio had certainly delivered. Rather than just telling him where he might find the Wolves, his thief friend had given him a map marked where the Followers of Romulus were spotted the most often. The first one he had chosen had brought him to the shining Main Street. His Talent, as his father had been so fond of calling it, helped him emmensly. He wandered for a while, avoiding fights with men already drunk and winking at the women who had caught him in their eyes.

Eventually, his extra sense took him to a deserted back alley, and in it was a hatch marked with an unfamiliar symbol. This had to be it. Glancing around quickly to make Sure he was alone, he pushed it open and slipped down into the domain of Romulus.

 **XXXXXX**

"This had better work," Altaïr said under his breath as he looked down from the rooftops. Sure enough, there was Ogre, alone, content with his day and commenting about an interrogation. And not far behind him was Tatsumi with the hood of his jacket up, following their target. Surely he didn't intend to take care of Ogre out in the open, as he had hidden his sword under the coat.

Altaïr's eyes widened. He realized something. He had done the exact same thing with Tamir. Suddenly, he felt less angry towards Malik's lecturing. Shaking his head, he refocused on Tatsumi.

"Uh, Captain Ogre?" He said. Altaïr was unsure if the nervousness in Tatsumi's voice was genuine or rather convincing acting.

"What is it?" The corrupt officer responded. The Hidden One above was surprised Tatsumi had actually been acknwledged.

"There's... something I would like to talk to you about."

"Well, spit it out!"

Tatsumi looked around. "What I have to say is best said in private."

Altaïr would have struck his own head with his palm. There was no way...

"Fine. Let's go to an alley."

Altaïr was at a loss of both words and thought. Ogre was letting a complete stranger lead him away from witnesses. Perhaps the Captain thought he could take any challenger. Altaïr kept to the higher ground as the two below him made their way into privacy. They all came to a stop, and the Hidden One waited. For a minute, nothing happened.

He was taken aback by what occurred next. Tatsumi dropped on his hands and knees, pressing his head into the roadway.

"Captain, I beg of you! Please let me into the Imperial Forces!" Both of the other men just stared at him. Altaïr was surprised by how casually Tatsumi tossed aside his dignity. "I need to earn money to send back to my hometown in the country, sir!"

Ogre just let out a sigh. "I should've known." He turned around and began to walk away. "If you want in, you'll have to go through the same process as everyone else, jackass."

Tatsumi slowly picked himself up and grabbed the hilt of his sword. "But in these hard times, it's hard to be able to join..."

Altaïr could see that Ogre was beginning to suspect something was wrong, as he too grabbed his sword. "I take it you weren't strong enough to pass the entrance test?"

He didn't receive an answer. Tatsumi charged and buried the steel of his weapon into Ogre's side, cutting him open and making fall over.

Tatsumi looked up to his partner with a smile on his face. "I did it!"

Altaïr did not respond. He was too busy noticing Ogre getting back up as Tatsumi's mind seemed to drift off.

"Oh that's right," he said, "I have to give our report."

His mind came back to his body when he saw Altaïr jump off the roof.

The Hidden One's aim, as always, didn't fail him. He landed square on Ogre, making him fall back to the ground,, and buried his Hidden Blade into the Captain's neck. Even a fatal wound wasn't enough to put Ogre down right away. The corrupt officer took a swing at Altaïr, but the Hidden One intercepted by grabbing his foe's fist and twisting it in a way not preferable. The crack of bone was audible even over their fight. Ogre let out a groan as the pain of his break, and Altaïr again shoved his signature weapon into Ogre's neck, finally putting him down.

 **XXXXXX**

Again, Tatsumi found himself in that strange place he, Altaïr, and Aria had gone to when the latter drew her final breath.

"Go in peace, and rest." Altaïr held Ogre as he had Aria.

"You cannot kill me!" Ogre shouted weakly. "I was the ruler of this city!"

"Rulers should protect their people," Altaïr reasoned. "Not put them to death for crimes they did not commit in exchange for monetary gain."

Ogre passed on before he could respond.

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi was about to ask just what that weird location was, and why time did not seem to pass whenever they were in it. But then Altaïr turned to him with fire in his eyes.

"Only ever turn your back to a corpse." His voice was simmering.

"I... I'm sorry."

"Your overcon-" Altaïr stopped as Malik's harsh words again entered his thoughts. In his mind, he saw himself charging Robert de Sable back in that ancient temple, and easily getting over powered. "I... just remember that in the future. Make sure they are indeed dead."

Tatsumi nodded.

"Come on," Altaïr sighed and started to walk away. "Let's go home."

"So, uh, how would one go about joining the Brotherhood?" Tatsumi inquired.

"Don't push your luck any more tonight."

As they made their way out of the alley, a clanging sound filled the air. Looking over to where it was originating, the two saw a strange hatch moving about and being pulled back as a man climbed out of it covered in blood and wolf fur. He wore dark grey robes and a red cape over his left arm. In his right hand was a scroll being kept folded with a chain attached to a key.

He stared at them, and they him. He spoke first. "What are you doing?"

Tatsumi answered quickly. "Nothing. What are _you_ doing?"

"I also am doing nothing."

"Then perhaps we should all do nothing away from each other," Altaïr suggested. He could tell that whatever the man had been doing, it would likely get him in trouble. The situation would best be left alone.

"Good idea!" The stranger smiled and turned on his heels. "Have a good evening."


	6. Lost Youth

**Chapter VI: Lost Youth**

 **XXXXXX**

Wave was looking forward to going home. His tour of duty to the Imperial Navy was coming to an end, and he could not have been happier. Not because he hated the path he had chosen, but rather due to the Admiral he currently shared the deck with.

He practically yelled at his whipped cabin boy. "Keep an eye out! They could come out of the water and climb the ship's hull!"

Letting out a sigh, Wave looked over his shoulder and saw Admiral Sibrand leaning over the side, inspecting the calm surface for invisible killers. How Sibrand had sealed his position, Wave had no clue.

Thankful that the insane commander wasn't ordering him with pointless tasks, Wave looked to the night sky, letting the even air clear his mind as he did all he could to keep Sibrand's paranoid rambling out of his ears.

Finally, the Admiral seemed to run out of breath.

Wave sighed and let himself stare at the clear night sky. The moon was full and the stars shined.

Unfortunately, the peaceful moment was ruined.

Out of nowhere, something smashed through the deck behind Wave, rocking the ship and nearly making him fall over.

"Ah-ha!" Sibrand sounded triumphant. "I told you all they were out there!"

Wave didn't respond and looked down the new gaping the hole. Whatever had hit them had gone clear though and ignited the lower level. It had to be a mortar shot. Looking at the horizon, Wave scanned for the ship that had fired upon them. Seeing nothing, He heard the rest of the crew get out of their bunks and either scream or panic. Being around Sibrand for an extended time had that affect on most people.

Wave continued to look for the ones firing upon them until finally out in the stretching darkness he saw a shape gradually growing bigger.

And on that shape, its owner and his second-in-command were not as reactive to the pandemonium as those on the Imperial vessel.

"I'm conflicted, Adè," Edward Kenway said casually to his quartermaster as they closed in on their bounty. "On one hand, I really want to start putting together my own armada. On the other hand, I _really_ don't like the Navy around here. Sinking that ship and sending that precious Admiral to the drink would be a right kick in the teeth for them." The Captain of the Jackdaw shrugged, pointed to the Imperial voyager, and let out a roar his entire crew heard. "Ramming speed! Fire everything!"

 **XXXXXX**

Abbas Sofian felt many things as he watched the initiates of the Brotherhood train in the courtyard of Masyaf fortress, all of them negative. Altaïr had poisoned his father, Ahmad's memory by lying about him. The arrogant fool had gotten what had been coming to him by losing his rank, and yet still he got rewarded by being selected to leave and deal with some far away tyrant.

The whole situation made Abbas fume with silent anger.

From above, a flash of light made itself known. The sun may have been rising over the mountains, but this was different. Looking up, Abbas saw lights spring out from Al Mualim's study. He had heard about what the Templar treasure Malik had brought to Masyaf could do, and evidently the Mentor was attempting to study it.

An unwelcome thought wormed its way into the Hidden One's mind. A rather insidious idea...

 **XXXXXX**

Being in Night Raid may have been Altaïr's current situation, but he still heeded the call whenever the Brotherhood contacted him. Reaching into the sizeable birdcage he had hung near the sparring grounds, he carefully detatched and unwrapped the parchment that had been on the avian's leg.

"What's the damage?" Leone playfully asked, trying to keep the morning sun out of her eyes.

"Not sure yet. It just says to meet an informant at one of the Brotherhood's Dens." While he was not too fond of being called like a dog, Altaïr did enjoy the aspect of handling business specifically for his fellow Hidden Ones.

 _Brethren..._ He thought about Tatsumi's questioning about how he might gain admission into the Brotherhood. Altaïr realized that the country boy jad traces of himself in personality, and he thought back to how most of Night Raid had laughed at him for expressing a core goal of the Hidden Ones.

"Where's the rookie?"

Leone grinned at him. "Aww, and I thought we were gonna spend the day together."

"Not today, _Labiwa._ "

She patted him on the back. "Mine dragged him off to 'inspect the city,' as she put it."

 **XXXXXX**

"Excuse me, young sir!"

Tatsumi looked over to see a vendor with a stand covered in green bottles, and the man selling them looked very happy to have captured the young rebel's attention.

"You look like you could stand to forget your rotten luck!"

 _Is it that obvious?_ he thought.

"Perhaps a nice helping of Starrick's Soothing Syrup will help you!"

 **XXXXXX**

"And so another victim falls into the glass arms of the green demon." Arno Dorian shook his head, watching the young man contemplate purchasing the glorified poison from across the busy street.

Pierre Bellec couldn't help but cackle. "I've seen you down gallons of the stuff!"

"Under duress!"

"There's a fine, thick line between that and misery, Pisspot."

 **XXXXXX**

Tatsumi kindly turned down the syrup. "Thanks, but I'll be okay."

As the morning went on, his enthusiasm slowly decreased. When Mine told Tatsumi they had a mission in the Capital, carrying her boxes of newly acquired clothes wasn't what he had been expected.

 _Is this really a mission?_ he wondered as he struggled to keep the stack in his arms from falling over. _Or just another way for her to abuse me?_

He was thankful that Mine's pink hair made her stand out so much, making it nigh impossible to lose her in whatever crowd they ventured into. She led, and he followed, slowly being disillusioned with what this day was really about.

"I didn't think you were the type to spree," a familiar voice said to his side.

Carefully turning his head, Tatsumi didn't recognize the man next to him until he noticed the deep scar on his mouth and took note of the way he spoke. "You?"

 _"Di persona."_

"What are you doing here?"

"I have nothing but time on my hands these days, and I figured there's bound to be a decent wine somewhere around here."

Suddenly, Mine turned around and excitedly pointed to a shop full of dresses. "Let's go! Keep up!"

Realizing what was going on, Ezio smirked at his friend.

"It's not what you think!" Tatsumi claimed defensively.

 _"Così dici._ Denial isn't healthy."

"I'm serious! Every chance she gets, she makes fun of me!"

Ezio laughed. "If you insist on fighting it, I can at least get her to stop teasing you for a while."

"Really?" Tatsumi liked the sound of that. One moment of serenity around her was a prize he wanted. But he doubted he would get it

"It's simple. Women love being showered with positive attention. Just compliment her and she'll lighten up on you."

Tatsumi remained skeptical. "It can't be that easy."

Ezio grinned. He too had once possessed the same mindset before his older brother Federico had taught him the art of seduction. "Trust me. Just repeat after me to get the ground laid out..."

"Hmm, maybe," Mine said to herself as she inspected a sundress the same color as her hair. Behind her, she heard what could only be her new underling struggling with the door. She smirked at his predicament.

"You should get something silver," Tatsumi said, repeating Ezio's sage words he had whispered into his ear. "It would go great with your eyes."

Mine blinked at him. Giving advice? She had expected, even hoped, that he would complain. It would have given her the perfect opportunity to beat him down and remind just where he stood in Night Raid.

"Hmph!" She turned away from him.

Tatsumi sighed. _Well, at least she didn't berate me._

On and on she dragged him until finally stopping outside a cafe as she sipped an overpriced drink as Tatsumi sat across from her, nonplussed.

"Isn't it great to just let your hair down once in a while?" She seemed happy enough with her purchases.

"Uh, I guess?" His eyes drifted down, and in one of the numerous bags, he spotted a dress colored with a shimmering silver.

She finished off her drink and set the cup down on its saucer. "Mission complete!"

Before Tatsumi could respond to (or rather explode at) her proclaimation, another familiar voice spoke up from behind him.

"Good. Let's go." Instantly, a hand grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him out of his chair.

"Altaïr? How long have you been here?"

"An hour. Now let's get moving."

Tatsumi's eyes returned to Mine, and all the boxes and bags he had been carrying for her. "But shouldn't I at least-"

Altaïr again grabbed him by the back of his collar, and began to literally drag him away. "Contrary to what she loudly claims, you aren't her slave."

"But I-"

Mine sneered and waved them off. "Oh just go. I was getting tired of you, anyway." Despite her aggressive dismissiveness, she kept watching the newbie leave until she lost him in a crowd.

"Where exactly are we going?" Tatsumi asked as he got back on his feet and walked alongside Altaïr.

"A Den. I received a request for assistance this morning right after you left."

"And you're bringing me along because...?"

"You said you wanted into the Brotherhood, didn't you?" He asked knowingly under his breath, not wanting any ears besides their own to hear him.

Tatsumi's eyes lit up. "Does this mean I'm in?"

"I'm considering it. Wait here."

Tatsumi stopped as Altaïr continued on, walking into a building that would not have caught anyone's attention. Tatsumi guessed that was the whole idea. He looked up and saw that the place had a tower fixed to it. He wasn't sure of its purpose. Perhaps for a lookout to keep watch?

Inside the Den, Altaïr looked around. The causal atmosphere was unusual, but relaxing. Everyone present was Hidden, and yet unlike those in the fortress of Masyaf, they acted as normal people would. Some of the people within were casually talking about their families, others were crafting bombs on a workable in the corner. A couple were leaning on the wall, locking lips.

"Altaïr! Over here!"

The former Master Assassin looked to where the call had originated, and saw a Brother being tended to by a surgeon.

"What happened?" He asked as he walked over.

"I was closing in on a kidnapping ring. I had everything set to take down the factory they were putting the children in, but a Blighter got the drop on me."

"Broke his arm," the doctor said as his patient pulled out papers from his robes.

Altaïr took the documents with disgust in his voice. "Child labour. Glorified slavery." He slid the evidence into his own cloth. "Consider it done, Brother."

Back outside, Tatsumi did as he had been told, making sure to stay out of the way of everyone who walked past him.

"Follow me," Altaïr said, walking past him.

"How do you do that?" Tatsumi asked. "Appear out of nowhere?"

"It's called Blending. It's an essential skill for all of us," he answered, referring to the Hidden Ones.

"Does that mean you'll teach me how to do it?!"

"Again. Considering."

Altaïr led the way to the destination designated in the writings he had received in the Den. They came across a considerably large, multi-floored building surrounded by a high stone wall save for a gap to allow carriages in and out.

Altaïr stopped at the opening of the wall. "Here it is. A factory run by Blighters, and kept going through child labour."

"What's a Blighter?"

"A gang. A very dangerous, very extensive gang."

"And they're just allowed to run free on all this?" Tatsumi didn't think he could be surprised any more about the Capital. The massive building wasn't isolated or separated from the rest of them, in fact right across the street was a series of small shops.

"Nobody around here cares."

"That's not true," Tatsumi responded with determination. " _We_ care."

Altaïr looked at him like a noble would a racing horse for a moment. "Wait here while I clear a path."

He ran over to the other side of the factory, out of Tatsumi's line of sight. For roughly a minute, he stood there not sure of what Altaïr was up to. He turned his attention to the roof, where something caught all of his attention. A sniper dressed in red, looking down at the property and making sure no intruders.

Behind the gunman, a white blur ran up to him and tackled him down. Realizing that the blur was obviously Altaïr, Tatsumi watched as his teammate shoved his signature weapon into the gangster's neck.

His task complete, Altaïr jumped off the roof, landing with his legs bent and hands on the ground. He stood up and casually walked away; he might as well have stepped out of a carriage. He made his way over to an alarm bell. He made his Hidden Blade extended and jumped, swinging his hand into the bell, making a rope with a metal ball tied to the end fall to ground.

He gestured for Tatsumi to come to him.

"Three lookouts. Rather light security," he said, pulling several throwing knives out of the bandolier that housed them. "Here. Take these."

Tatsumi did as requested. He had never really used any projectile weapons, but could tell the steel in his palm was well balanced. "What's the plan?"

"Your job is to wait out here, and make sure the inncents we are about to liberate make it out safely. Keep a watch for patrols. I'll go inside and kill the guards."

"You should know that I don't really know how to use these," he said, careful not to tighten his grip on the knives so much that they would dig into his flesh.

"No time like the present to practice. If you hit them anywhere on the body, they'll be distracted by the pain enough for you to run up and finish them off." Reaching behind himself, Altaïr grabbed the hilt of his dagger and pulled it out of the holster on his back. He offered it to his comrade. "You're good with a sword. This should be easy for you."

Tatsumi took the blade and Altaïr made his way back to the building. For a moment, the swordsman thought the Hidden One was going to go right through the wide open entrance, but that turned out to not be the case. Climbing up the wall, Altaïr entered through a window. Dropping to the floor, Altaïr remained crouched momentarily, making sure his entrance had not drawn any unwanted attention. Seeing that he was still less than a ghost to those inside the industrial madhouse, he stood up and traipsed forward. With all the machinery running, accompained by all the shouting from the Blighters, he had no need for silence, but he still exercised caution. Coming up to the railing, he looked up and saw on the upper level another gang member who was too busy with something to not notice the most unwelcome Hidden One. Grabbing a throwing knife, Altaïr took his aim. Letting the knife fly, Altaïr thought as hard as he could, _Fall backwards fall backwards fall backwards..._

Luck was on his side, as that is what happened after the steel lodged into the man's neck. Making his way along the walkway, he heard something below him. Looking over the railing, he saw a trio of children, dressed in rags and covered in filth dunking their hands in a trough filled with what Altaïr thought was sewage. The looked miserable, and he could not blame them. Despite the noise, the Hidden One heard what had to be an overseer shout at them.

"That's enough for a break! Get back to work!"

Into Altaïr's line of sight walked a Blighter with a whip and furious expression. His words were enough to send the young unwilling workers scurrying back to whatever job that had been assigned. The overseer stayed where he was to make sure they returned to their labour. It was the last thing he ever did.

Hopping up onto the railing, Altaïr aimed, and jumped. He landed right on the slaver, forcing him to the floor. Before the Blighter could so much as shout out from the pain, he wound up with metal in his neck. Bringing himself back to a stand, Altaïr looked over and saw that the three youths had not quite gone back to their work areas, and we'e staring at him with wide eyes.

"I'm here to help you," he said, seeing the horror in their pupils. "Just stay here and I will clear the way out."

They all silently nodded.

Making his way down a staircase, Altaïr found himself on the ground level. He could see the massive entrance letting in sunlight. And just inside of it was another guard. Breaking into a run, Altaïr made quick work of him.

Searching all around, Altaïr looked up, and through all the smoke and metal, he spotted what had to be the foreman's office. Gradually making his way to proper floor, he made it to where he had to go, and before entering the office to cut off the head of this particular snake, he listened to the man boast to what had to be the only Blighter left.

"Ferris had the right idea! Children are far more easier to control. And they respond so much quicker to pain."

Before he took two more lives, Altaïr could not help but wonder who this Ferris was. He would have to pay a visit to Malik to find an answer.

Meanwhile, back outside, Tatsumi tested the dagger in his grip as his thoughts wandered. _How is it we can do this in broad daylight? Dumb luck? Or just general apathy?_

He was pulled back into reality via a gruff, loud voice behind him. "Oi! What are you doing here?!"

Quickly turning around while moving his hand behind his back to keep the dagger out of view, he was met by another man dressed in red approaching him. He wondered if all Blighters wore the same color. Recalling his successful deception of Ogre, Tatsumi made himself smile as the space between him and the other man vanished. "Oh, I was just... wondering where I sign up to become a Blighter."

The gangster laughed. "A scrawny wimp like you, running with us?! Mr. Roth will eat you alive!"

"He wouldn't be the first to try." With the Blighter lost in his amusement, Tatsumi readied his arm, and buried Altaïr's dagger into his chest. Instantly, the laughter was replaced by wet gagging. Remembering Altaïr's words after slaying Ogre his usual method of disposing of his targets, Tatsumi pulled the knife from the man's sternum, and quickly forced it into his neck. The Blighter fell to the ground and his killer removed Altaïr's weapon from his flesh.

"Excllent." Tatsumi quickly turned to where the voice had come from, and was relieved to see Altaïr. Running past him was about a dozen children, cheering and shouting out their gratitude. "Your use of deception is one you should utilize more often."

"Thanks!" Tatsumi looked over to the factory, his positivity slowly melting. "What's stopping them from rounding up more kids and bringing them back here?"

Altaïr smirked. "You'll have your answer in about... now."

As soon as the Hidden One finished his sentence, Tatsumi thought he heard thunder. He looked up only to see a clear sky... and smoke. Bringing his line of sight down, he saw the factory, with its Windows blasted out and an erratic cacophony coming from it as more explosions boomed.

"What did you do!?"

Altaïr shrugged before putting his hand on Tatsumi's shoulder and began leading the two of them away from the doomed structure. "That's the thing about machines. They make everything productive, but throw a few switches, turn a few valves, toss a few pipes into the wheels, and they all come crashing down. Tends to cause... accidents."

The two men made their way through the maze of roads and alleyways until coming to Altaïr's destination.

"Wait right here," he said, preparing to climb.

"Another Den?" Tatsumi asked.

"Not quite." He made his way to the roof, and dropped down into the Bureau. "Hello, Malik."

"Altaïr," the Rafiq greeted flatly. "What brings you around? Come to check off another one on Al Mualim's list?"

"No, I came to ask you something."

Malik hid his surprise. He had expected Altaïr to demand, not request. "Well, out with it."

"Does the name Ferris sound familiar to you?"

"It does not. Why?"

"Earlier, I blew up a factory run by Blighters-"

"Wait wait," Malik cut him off. "You _blew_ it _up!?"_

"Yes. I sabotaged their machinery, making them collapse and detonate. The entire building should be no more than rubble by now."

Malik blinked at that. He had expected the disgraced Brother to just pour oil and light a match, not cover his tracks. "Well. It took years but you finally thought something through. What did you hear about this Ferris?"

"Only that he gave the foreman the idea for child labour."

"He isn't in any of my records, but I'll have my agents keep an ear to the ground."

 **XXXXXX**

The domain of the Wolves reeked. By Ezio did not linger on it. Dozens of the pelt-wearing savages laid on the bloody ground behind him as he made his way further into the Lair, following the torches. Sometimes the Florentine felt that entire cities lay beneath the surface of the Empire; a thought he suspected was not so far-fetched given just how strange the world could be.

Taking quiet steps along the walkways, he knew he was reaching the end when he heard what sounded like preaching coming from a dimly lit room. Even at a distance, he could see the treasure glistening with the torchlight.

Another Follower of Romulus had his back to Ezio, talking either to himself or invisible people.

"Brothers. Soon, Romulus will cast favor upon us. As I ingest the contents of this relic we stole from those blasphemous defilers, I shall spread his will all across the land, making his glorious Roma the rightful head of all there is."

As he flailed his arms with his admittedly passionate words, Ezio snuck up behind him, making sure his footfalls did not produce echoes on the stone beneath them. All that training under Uncle Mario and Paola had indeed paid off.

The preaching fearmonger did notice or sense his impeding slayer and continued. Ezio no longer paid attention to his rambling, solely focused on closing the gap between the two men.

Finally, in a crouch, he was at the optimal distance. Tensing his muscles, he sprang forward. Briefly taking to the air, he collided with his prey, his boots digging into the Wolf's lower back. Grabbing the savage's shoulder with his right hand, Ezio flexed his left, letting his father's Hidden Blade come out of its holster. Before the two men landed on the floor, steel pierced flesh and blood seeped out of the resulting wound.

 _"Requiescat in pace."_ Ezio picked himself up and looked over to the mantle, seeing just what the pack leader had been monologuing to.

A gold chalice.

Ezio looked at it with curiosity as his latest kill's words resonated in his ears.

 _As I ingest the contents of this relic..._

Seeing no harm in it, Ezio walked up and removed the top. The lighting provided by the fires wasn't bright enough to see just what was inside.

He pondered for a moment, and reached inside. Judging by how far his fingers went down, the cup had to be nearly empty. Finally, his flesh came into contact with a liquid, cool and thick. Pulling his wrist out, Ezio squinted at what now coated the tip of his index finger.

"Blood?"

Why would anyone drink the essence of life?

As he thought on just what had been the Wolf's motivation, a familiar voice seemed to whisper in his ear. A voice he never expected to hear again outside of his dreams.

 _Do it, my son..._

"Father?" It was impossible. Giovanni Auditore had been deceased for two years. And yet his voice was urging his second-born son.

Ezio stared at the crimson ichor. Part of it dripped back into the chalice to rejoin the puddle within. Every instinct within him, including his Talent, was screaming that whatever this stuff was, it was to play a most important role in the times to come.

Flicking his finger to let the rest of the blood that hadn't been absorbed into his flesh fall back into the gold container, he placed the top back on and looked for a way back to the surface.

 **XXXXXX**

"Well, Al sure has warmed up to you quickly," Leone teased as the two men walked through the entrane of Night Raid's hideout. "I thought for sure he would hate you for at least another month."

"Why?" Tatsumi asked.

"That's about how long it took for him to starting having positive opinions about us." She laughed. "Can you believe he used to think all of us were freaks and morons?"

Tatsumi didn't want to answer that, so he gave his own question. "What made him change his mind?"

"Fighting. Lots and lots of fighting." Leone's smile grew. "But I have to admit, chasing him was a lot of fun."

"Chasing him?" Tatsumi repeated.

Before the blonde could respond, Mine spoke up in her usual haughty demeanor. "So the mighty Hidden One has taken you under his wing. It's mostly pity, right?"

Altaïr shook his head as they went inside. "Actually, to be honest, he reminds me of myself in some ways."

That statement grabbed everyone's attention.

"Really?" Mine asked. "Did you leave your home looking for riches?"

"No."

Akame spoke next. "Were you a wandering swordsman before joining the Hidden Ones?"

 _"No."_

Leone smirked. "Did you once get ripped off by a hot piece in a strange place?"

 **"No."**

Lubbock risked speaking up. "Were you tricked by a rich family?"

Altaïr looked him dead in the eyes. "No. Never."

Sheele took her turn. "Were you in a blind rage when you first killed a person?"

"No. It was strictly an assignment from Al Mualim."

Akame took another shot. "Did you lose someone close?"

"N- well, yes, but that's unrelated."

Leone was being consumed by curiosity. "Well, what is it?"

Altaïr couldn't take anymore. "What do you people want, my life story?"

"Well... yes," Sheele answered for the rest of Night Raid. "You've been here for months and only Leone knows more than the first two things about you."

"That is true," Akame said. "It's rather hard to trust you if you remain an enigma to us all."

"Yeah." Leone made her face pout. "Why don't you ever tell me anything?"

The Hidden One let out a small sigh. He could tell that now that the problem they had was out in the open, they would keep pestering him until he obliged. So it might as well have been then and there.

"Fine. Where do you want me to start?"

Leone instantly answered. "What were your parents like?" She had been curious for a while now about her lover's upbringing.

Altaïr took a seat in the main room of their hideout, with all his teammates following suit. On his left sat Leone, and on his right went Tatsumi. And to the newest member's right went Mine. "The other seats aren't comfy enough," she claimed defensively.

Altaïr interlocked his fingers in thought and preparation. Taking in a deep breath, he began. "I never knew my mother. As I came into this world, she took her last breath. I don't know much about her, as my father never could talk about her much. Her name was Maud, and she was a Hidden One."

"So then, being a Hidden One was in your blood," Sheele observed.

Altaïr continued. "My childhood was... normal, I suppose. As normal as it could be in Masyaf. By day, I would run around and play with the other children of Hidden Ones in the fortress. By night, if he was around, my father would make sure I went to sleep at a proper time. I did not know my father very well as a parent. He was a Hidden One above all. Dedicated to the Creed. He would leave for weeks on end, leaving me alone."

"Good a life as I've seen on the streets, better than. Least your order looks after their own." Leone said, memories of families that would either stick together and make it work, or throw their own under the cart for a scrap of bread strong in her mind.

Akame quietly agreed. After all, she and her sister had been sold by their parents without a second thought.

Altaïr nodded. "Nevertheless, I loved him. And he loved me. He taught me to read and freerun, essential things. Until I became an orphan. I was eleven. He had been sent on a mission to intimidate a would-be tyrant into ceasing his campaign. He was detected, and had to kill a general in order to escape the enemy camp. But one of his team was not so lucky..."

He took a deep breath. The worst was about to be revealed.

Leone reached out to grip his shoulder comfortingly. The rest of Night Raid drew their conclusions. Had the captured one been a relative? Perhaps a friend?

"The marching conqueror managed to capture a Hidden One named Ahmad Sofian. He tortured him, demanding to know what the Hidden Ones were doing in his camp, and who had killed his General. Ahmad broke, and gave him my father's name." Altaïr felt himself tense up as he drew closer to the two worst memories he had.

Leone's grip tightened as did her own expression. She could understand the idea of hating the betrayer, but even trained assassins would break if the right methods were used.

"The tyrant surrounded Masyaf, cutting us off from resupplying. We would starve. But he offered a peace treaty. He would leave us alone... if my father took Ahmad's place." He took a deep breath. "He had honor. A lot. He agreed. I... I didn't want to let go of him, but someone pried me off as he walked out of the fortress. They let Ahmad go... and grabbed the man who raised me."

The rest of them felt that they knew where this story was going, but kept quiet.

"They took me back inside at that point. I didn't see my father leave this world... but I did hear it."

Leone outright hugged Altair and pulled him close. "You don't have to keep going. You've said enough."

Altaïr did not take her offer. If he did not finish his tale now, he would just have to continue later. He breathed. "Ahmad held me back as I desperately tried to run outside as the invaders left. I was a child. I thought I could somehow save my father even though he was already gone. But Ahmad had a good grip... I screamed at him that it was all his fault, over and over again. He did not deny it. They buried my father, and I was truly alone. At night, I prayed that it was all a bad dream. Ahmad was not better off. He broke into a horrible fever and constantly called out my father's name. 'Umar! Umar!' For three days, it went on for both of us..."

He repressed the urge to quiver. He was about to finally answer Leone's question as to why he always had nightmares.

Leone didn't say anything, her compassion infused in the tight grip she had Altaïr in.

"Finally, on the fourth night, his fever went away. I will never forget what happened next. It was the dead of night, and I was awoken by my chamber door opening. I sat up, convinced it was Umar, there to tell me to go back to sleep. But it wasn't. It was Ahmad. He had a thoughtful, almost peaceful expression. He held a candle, and a knife..."

Leonne's expression grew more horrified as the implications hit her. "No, he wasn't..."

Tatsumi was just as terrified. "He was going to try and kill you?!"

Having come to the same assumption, Mine wondered how a child had fought off a fully grown trained assassin with a blade.

Altaïr shook his head "He smiled at me, and closed the door. He set the candle down on my father's desk. He gave me this empty, hollow look in his eyes, and said 'I'm sorry.' I sat there, unsure of what was happening. He didn't stop smiling as he pressed the knife into his neck... and dragged it along his flesh..."

All of Night Raid stared at him in silence. They had all seen death. But for a man to do such a deed in front of a child who had lost the only family he had seemed completely horrid.

Altaïr felt himself shake before he continued. "He... fell over, and I just sat there, frozen. Finally, I climbed out of my bed, grabbed the candle he had brought. I remember how I cried as I opened the door and stepped over him. And then... I ran. I ran as fast I could until I found myself in front of Al Mualim's door."

Leonne blinked as she stroked his hair gently. As bad as that was, it was still better than her initial impression. She'd seen good men and women, after being broken by stress and trauma, try to 'help' their loved ones in methods often even more horrific than what they'd gone through.

"What happened next?" Najenda asked calmly.

Altaïr parted his lips, but his lover managed to speak first. "Boss, I think that's enough stories for one night."

 **XXX Omake XXX**

"Look at them," Altaïr snarled. He squinted to keep as much of the high noon sun out of his eyes as possible as he observed the source of his disgust. An obvious Templar lair. The red mark they wore with gross pride was etched into a wall as well as on the flag flying on the roof.

Leone giggled and patted his arm. "I know there's no love loss between you and them, but doing something violent in broad daylight, even in a slum like this..."

Her focus was pulled away by a vendor down the street, calling out and peddling that Soothing Syrup she had heard of but never actually tried.

Looking at the jade bottles, she thought now was the time to do so. "Hey, Al. You wouldn't happen to have any coin on you, would you?"

The only response she got was silence.

"Al?" She looked back to find that the space her paramour had occupied not a moment ago was empty. She smelled something. Smoke. And she heard screaming. Her eyes wandered over to the Templar hideout, and found that it was ablaze and crumbling. The front door was kicked clean off its hinges from the inside, and out of the doorway walked Altaïr, his robes covered in blood and soot.

He walked back over to her. "It had to be done."


	7. Time And Wounds Part 1

**Chapter VII: Time And Wounds Part 1**

 **XXXXXX**

"Are you him? The _Assassino?"_

 _"Sì."_ Ezio was unsure of meeting a customer (as Antonio had so happily referred to the woman as) out in the open, even in the middle of the night. But the graveyard they had chosen to rendezvous in was deserted enough. And his Talent wasn't sending him any alarms. "What is it you need?"

The woman before him couldn't look the Florentine in the eye. She looked nearly broken. "Have you heard the news, the shouts and whispers about the murders?"

 _"Sì._ The decapitations." Grisly news from the last few nights.

"His name is Zanku, and he has to be stopped."

Ezio remained silent for a moment. Was this just a concerned civilian? "Why not take your grievances to the Imperial Police?"

"We both know they won't catch him."

"And you think I can?"

"I'm not a fool, _Assassino._ I know what you are, what you belong to. You and yours may just be rumors around here, but not everyone here is so blind." From her coat, she pulled a sizeable burlap bag, full of what Ezio surmised to his payment.

 **XXXXXX**

Morning came, and all seemed normal within Night Raid's dwelling. Breakfast had been served, at least to those not foolish enough to sleep in late.

"Are Sheele and Mine still in bed?" Akame asked, eyeing the bowls full of food meant for the two.

"Aren't they always?" Altaïr responded flatly from the far end of the room as he polished his Hidden Blade, Leone handing him a fresh rag.

"They always wake up later," Leone said, watching her mate meticulously care for his weapon.

Taking full advantage of the situation, Akame devoured her two teammate's morning meals in the span of seconds and casually wiped her mouth. This was a common occurrence.

Tatsumi was in awe. "The speed of a true assassin..." A certain question entered his mind. "Hey, Altaïr. Can you move like that?"

"Yes." Tatsumi let out a shout. Not because of Altaïr's answer, but rather because the Hidden One had somehow crossed the entire room without a sound and now currently stood right behind his protege, flexing his wrist to test the silence of his knife. "If I feel like it."

After Akame finished removing the evidence from her maw, she too asked the Levantine man a question. "What happened after Ahmad's suicide?"

Leone glared at her.

The swordswoman just stared back, not noticing Sheele entering the room behind her. "Aren't you curious?"

"It's fine, _Habib,"_ Altaïr assured. "But we should wait for the others. I do not feel like recalling it twice."

The purple-maned airhead approached the table and noticed something amiss. "Hey, what happened to my breakfast?"

She never got a direct answer as Leone led the four of them back into the main room and left to gather the rest of Night Raid.

Mine rubbed her eyes as she sat next to Akame. "Why are we doing this?"

"Because he is _finally_ opening up to us," she answered. "He might actually start trusting us."

Leone sat next to Altaïr as he continued retelling his less-than-happy childhood. "Well, after Ahmad... cut himself, I ran to Al Mualim. He gave me a hot, spiced drink and told me to go back to sleep as he... took care of the mess."

Sheele raised her hand slightly. "May I ask something?"

Altaïr nodded. "Of course."

"Who's Al Mualim?"

Altaïr stared at her. Surely she had to be joking. He had told this band of misfits about his Mentor and reason he only ever called Najenda by her name.

Leonne valiantly resisted the urge to facepalm in the presence of Sheele's ditzyness. "His boss hun, he's mentioned the crusty ass before."

"Thank you. But that 'crusty ass' as you put it practically raised me at that point. There's something I forgot to mention last night. Ahmad had a son, Abbas. He's my age, about a few months younger. Anyway, after taking care of the mess, Al Mualim moved him and I in together, had us share a room. Al Mualim made up a story that Ahmad had left the fortress in the night, and made me swear I would never tell Abbas the truth, as he viewed suicide as dishonorable to the Brotherhood."

Most of Night Raid shrugged at that, they could see how such a thing would affect morale.

"Did you and he get along?" Tatsumi inquired, remembering his own childhood friends with a somber look.

"Well, not at first. He kept insisting that our arrangement was temporary and that he would leave me be when his father returned. For a couple weeks, we were tutored by the Mentor and trained in swordplay. We didn't talk much to each other. But eventually, we became close as brothers. We always had each other's backs."

Najenda let out a huff of her cigarette. "So you were personally taught by your leader?"

"We were. It made us proud of ourselves." He smiled as a rare pleasant memory entered his thoughts. "We would tell jokes to each other during our lessons, and Al Mualim would chastise us to pay attention to our books." He could feel them all staring. He had a happy look on his face, and he wasn't shoving steel into someone's neck. An odd sight to them except his paramour.

Mine leaned over to whisper to Akame. "Is it just me, or is it really creepy when he smiles?"

"It's even stranger that he's doing so in front of us and not just Leone."

"I can hear you," he said before continuing. "For years, I kept the secret. Abbas kept on believing that his father had simply left. For the first few seasons, he and I were inseparable. But as time went on, he became more silent and distant, staring out the window for hours, everyday. When we had grown from boys to men, I finally couldn't take it anymore. So, in the middle of the night, I told him the truth about his father's suicide. He didn't react the way I expected him to. He just stayed silent until I fell asleep. I thought he was just processing it all. But it was so much worse than that."

Leone gripped his shoulder, doing her best to keep him in the present with her.

"The next morning, during our daily sword training, Abbas made a request. That we use real swords. The combat master, Labib, gladly said yes." Altaïr placed his hand on Leone's, squeezing lightly and silently thanking her.

Akame swallowed a meaty snack before deadpanning, "How soon did he try to kill you, or did he pretend for a bit?" Mine was about to round on the raven-haired myrmidion when the self-proclaimed sniping genius remembered Akame's own...experiences with close family trying to slay her.

Unconcerned with how obvious his former friend's intentions had been to his teammate, the Hidden One continued. "Right away. He just went on hacking and slashing at me with a fury that, now that I think on it, is kind of like yours. Labib was ecstatic and just encouraged me to defend and strike." He let out a breath and cracked his neck. "Abbas was like a Danger Beast. He had nothing but hate in him as he screamed for me to admit that I lied about his father."

"That is one major anger issue," Lubbock said.

"You are very accurate," Altaïr said. "Eventually, our swords broke, but that did not stop him. He lunged at me, taking both of us to the ground, using one hand to choke me and the other to pummel my face in. I was tasting and seeing nothing but blood by the time Al Mualim finally broke our scuffle up. Abbas still claimed I was lying. And... I don't know why, but I said it was true. We were both thrown into cells for a month as punishment. I guess I just felt sorry enough to let him have his victory that day."

Tatsumi wanted to comment but Mine slapped his shoulder before he could say anything. "Will you stop that!" He whispered.

Altaïr looked at the swordsman he had taken under his wing. "Speak your mind."

Tatsumi would have smirked at Mine, but stopped himself. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? I mean, he was your friend." Tatsumi could understand security, but years of not saying anything boggled the mind for the new assassin.

"Because I had made a promise to the Mentor not to say anything. But seeing my brother being torn apart by a lie... it just seemed cruel at that point."

Leone gave Tatsumi a feline glare from behind Altair, the recipient of which blanched and nodded.

"He has hated me ever since. After that, we moved into our own chambers, away from each other, and continued training. I became a Master not long after. And Abbas just spat at the ground before me. All I did was sneer at him. I think... That was the beginning of my poisonous arrogance." He stood up. "That's enough backstory today." He walked outside, convincing himself he needed fresh air. He found himself near the sparring grounds, looking at nothing and his mind racing. It had been so long. So why did talking about it make him feel worse?

"You okay?"

He looked behind himself to find that Leone had followed him. He paused for a second, contemplating. "I..."

He was cut off by the sound of cawing and metal rattling. Looking around Leone, Altaïr saw that a raven with parchment fastened to its leg was in the steel cage. He didn't answer her in favor of grabbing the note from the Brotherhood and sending the bird on its way.

He couldn't help but smirk as he read it.

"Good news, I take it?" Leone asked as she tried to read the words as well.

"Al Mualim has commended me for finishing the task he has set forth. I've regained another rank, and he has given the name for my next bounty."

"Really? That was quick." The last two had roughly a month and a half between their deaths.

"All the better. The sooner they're all dead, the sooner I get my title back."

Leone could understand why he would want that. The other Hidden Ones often belittled and mocked him whenever they happened upon each other. While his pride was apparently no longer his primary motivation, it still obviously bothered him immensely. "So who are we hunting down today?"

"Some man named Garnier. It says he can be found in the north portion of the Capital. That means dealing with Jabal."

"And he is...?"

"Another Rafiq. Easy to entertain, always in a good mood."

"He sounds like a real step up from our buddy."

Altaïr did not respond.

"Well, don't leave without me!" She yelled as she walked back inside, slightly surprised to see that her friends had not moved from their spits. She addressed Najenda. "He's got another target to find. So we're gonna be gone for a couple days, maybe."

The boss nodded. "Alright. Then it looks like we're going to be spread a little thin. I got news for a new job yesterday, but didn't want to interrupt Altaïr's tirade. There's a problem in the Capital. A serial killer." Her expression turned into a smile. "But Tatsumi here has already volunteered to hunt him down."

Leone glanced at the young man. His since of right and wrong was incorrigible, that much was certain. But his jumping into action was going to turn on him, just as it had Altaïr.

 **XXXXXX**

"Why buy a tailor shop?" Antonio asked his friend.

"It is better than all these people having nothing else but rags," Ezio absently answered as he signed the paperwork finalizing the deal.

"First a medical clinic, then a bank, and now clothes." Antonio playfully punched him on the shoulder. "It's as if you're trying to buy your own borough, brother."

"That would be a start..."

"Where exactly did you get _il soldi?"_

Ezio glanced around, seeing all the bystanders standing around within earshot. "I took another job, working nights."

Antonio understood and nodded. "If you keep up with all these turn-key investments, you might end up becoming one of the richest men in the Capital."

Ezio laughed at that statement. "Please stop me before I do. I couldn't bear being among them." He began walking away. _"Ciao,_ Antonio. I'll see you later, _amico."_

"Where are you going, brother?"

"To prepare for my job."

And so he did, making his way to a Brotherhood Den. Stepping inside, he saw the lively atmosphere within. It reminded him of his uncle's villa. Always ready to fight but also finding time to live.

"Welcome, brother."

Ezio turned his head to see a man perhaps ten years older than him sitting at a counter, tinkering with pieces of metal and other materials Ezio did not recognize.

 _"Salve._ I'm Ezio. Ezio Auditore."

The surname caught the crafter's undivided attention. "As in Mario Auditore?"

"He is my uncle."

"Then that makes you Giovanni's boy."

 _"Sì."_

"He was a good man, an exemplary assassin, and a friend."

 _"Grazie."_

"Welcome to the Capital, young Auditore. I'm Piri." He offered his hand.

Ezio accepted and shook it. "Pleasure to meet you, _Messere_ Piri." The two Hidden Ones let go of each other and Ezio looked down to Piri's current labor. "What is this?"

"Bombs, Auditore. Very useful tools."

"What do you intend to blow up?"

Piri laughed. "There's more to them than just making a bang. I create tools for all situations. Smoke for making oneself vanish from unwanted attention. Blood, always makes men of lesser will panic and flee. And the datura plant makes a very potent, gaseous poison. And that's just the beginning."

Ezio found himself very interested in the little explosives. "How much?"

"First batch is on me, Ezio. But if you want more, I suggest gathering the materials, and possibly learning to craft them on your own."

"I will keep that in mind," Ezio promised.

 **XXXXXX**

In a mansion deep within a wealthy portion of the Capital sat the industrialist Crawford Starrick, reading over the latest reports from one of his subordinates. "Damn it, Millner. You're a complete imbecile sometimes."

His bodyguard (among other things) sat across from him with an easy smile on her face but excitement in her eyes. "Shall I go and teach him to not fail you, Master? Send him off to meet the Father of Understanding?"

"That won't be necessary, Suzuka. Miss Attaway has been shoving into his market for years..." He removed himself from his chair and walked over to the window, looking out to the morning greeting the Capital. "My dear Pearl. Why must you always make things so difficult?" Something in his peripheral vision caught him, and he looked down to see two people running across the rooftops of his less affluent neighbors headed north. His eyes narrowed for a moment, but dismissed the duo as bored hooligans.

 **XXXXXX**

"Safety and peace, brother." The trek had taken some time, but the two members of Night Raid had made it without any detours.

"To you as well, Altaïr," the Informant said. "What brings you to this end of the Capital?" It was now common knowledge amongst the Brotherhood that Al Mualim had sent his most talented student to join a certain hit squad of the Revolutionary Army.

"Al Mualim has called for me to claim a life. His name is Garnier."

His fellow Hidden seemed to have been expecting the man to be targeted. "The Master of the Knights Hospitalier."

Both members of Night Raid were surprised by the title of the man. "What has he done to be marked for death?" Altaïr inquired.

"He takes people who come begging for help into his fortress."

Altaïr had to ask, "why do they ask for his help?"

"Because he is a doctor, and one of the few competent ones who make time for people like those around here."

Leone felt confusion as to why Altaïr's leader wanted the head of a seemingly upstanding man. Obviously, there was more to this Garnier than just his profession. "Does he actually heal them?"

"I do not know for sure. He lets them roam around in his fortress, but only guards and scholars are allowed in. And the rooftops are guarded by gunmen. He is greatly concerned with security."

Altaïr took in the information he had just been told. If Garnier inhabited a fortress, then finding him just got easier. "Thank you, brother."

"I hope the words I have provided assist you in this endeavor."

"So now what?" Leone asked as she followed her man deeper into the very poor and dirty borough.

"Perhaps we should pay a visit to the Bureau. Jabal would help narrow the search."

Leone laughed and put herself on Altaïr's arm. "You'd think your Mentor would give clearer directions."

Altaïr thought on that. It was a good point.

His lover attempted to lift his spirits. "Knights, eh? Guess that means we're gonna be dealing with full body armor and swords."

Altaïr's lips curled upwards. "I think it's just a title, and not so literal."

As he led the way, a crowd had gathered in front of a man with two armored guards standing at his sides.

"What do you think he did?" Leone asked.

"He's trying to calm them down, not defend himself," Altaïr noticed.

"Please! Everybody! You must understand! The good doctor is but one man, and we are many!"

Leone whispered in Altaïr's ear, "He must be talking about Garnier."

It wasn't too wild a guess. Everybody the man was addressing looked like they were halfway to their graves. On and on the man went, telling them all to be patient and as such, until finally he stopped and began walking away with his task complete. Fortunately, the two Hospitalier men stayed where they were.

With silence, the two followed him. Without his voice ringing off the walls, Garnier's lackey was ignored by all those he passed. Finally, he led them to a deserted road. The three of them were alone. Now was the time to ask questions. Coming up right behind him, Altaïr grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and punched him right in the jaw. Before the speaker knew what was happening, several more blows landed on his face and chest, causing immense pain to make itself known to him all before he could even defend himself.

Altaïr let up his barrage, and his target tried to throw a punch. Sadly for him, the Hidden One caught his fist, and squeezed. The bones of his fingers cracked and bent in way obviously not intended.

The speaker fell to his knees as the assassin kept his hand locked in his own. "Mercy! Mercy! Please don't kill me! I'll do anything you ask!"

Altaïr let go of him and let him cradle his broken appendage. "You serve Garnier?"

The crier drew in a breath, his eyes saturated with pain. "He makes me say those things, to keep the people happy. To make them eager for his touch."

Altaïr picked him up by his shoulders and slammed him against the wall, a cold look plastered on his face. "Tell me, how exactly does he 'make you' say such things?"

"He... pays me." The answer did not help him; the Hidden One pressed him harder into the stone. "I was starving! I had nothing!"

Altaïr was less than sympathetic to the doctor's minion. "Does it look like we care for your issues? Now. Tell me everything you know about the man."

"Yes, yes, of course! I know what goes on in his walls, what really happens to his patients!"

Leone chuckled as she rested her chin on Altaïr's shoulder. "You best get to the point. My man tends to get stab-happy when he's bored."

Garnier's speak shook his head. "The ones around here are ill, but the others? They aren't truly sick or wounded when they enter! But once he's got his hands on them, that's when the real pain begins!"

Altaïr took the words in. "He's no healer, then."

"No, he's the opposite! I get terrified from just thinking about what he does to those people."

"But you still send those people to him. Knowing what he has planned for them."

"I don't know exactly what he does to make them scream so loud. If you intend to end him, you must choose the right moment. He is cautious, but he forgets the world around him when tending to his patients. You'll have to wait now. He mostly does it in the morning so he can properly house the new arrivals in the afternoon."

Altaïr finally let the man out of his grip. "I thank you for the information."

The speaker panted with sweat going down his head as a look of hope manifested on his lips. "So... you'll let me go?"

"Would that I could." With swiftness and no hesitation, Altaïr covered the man's mouth with his right hand, and with the left forced his Hidden Blade into the most vital of areas.

Leaving the body to either rot or be found by guards (he didn't care which), Leone seemed happy enough. "This is going rather quickly."

"He isn't secretive like Talal. And he's always in one spot..." Altaïr looked around to see if any Hospitalier Knights were around to give them any information on the details of Garnier's dwelling...

 **XXXXXX**

Ezio looked up to the night sky, clear and full of stars. The altitude he had and the calm feeling reminded him of one of the last evenings he and his brother Federico spent on the city back in Florence.

 _"It is a good life we lead, brother."_

 _"The best. May it never change."_

 _"And may it never change us."_

The memory filled him with as much sadness as it did nostalgia. It had been nearly two years, and still his family came to his mind everyday. He had not chosen this path, it had summoned him, but he still followed it. Part of him wished he could turn back time, to go back to how things were. His father, Federico, and Petruccio still alive, the family unbroken. His mother smiling and talking once more. And him with his beloved.

"Christina. I'm so sorry..."

That was, he decided, enough painful reminiscing. He climbed down to the streets within Zanku's killing area. The decapitator and the assassin began their game of seek and destroy.

 **XXXXXX**

"We're in the right area," Akame said, returning the hastily drawn map and directions to her pocket.

Tatsumi spoke up. "Hey, before we start searching, can I ask you something?"

"You have no reason to worry. I brought enough snacks for both of us."

"That's not what I-" he couldn't finish his sentence. Akame clasped her hand over his mouth and forced him into an alleyway. As soon as they were cloaked in darkness, a platoon of Imperial Police ran past them.

Akame waited until the sound of their sprinting died away. "We would be wise not to be spotted. Especially me."

 **XXXXXX**

High above the three killers, standing atop a clock tower, Zanku gazed down at the apparently empty streets. Only they were not completely devoid of life. The serial killer spied one of them down below, and his Teigu, Spectator, told him a deliciously sordid tale of the man. "Auditore, eh?"

 **XXXXXX**

Ezio continued, walking in any direction without leaving the designated area. If this was Zanku's hunting ground, then he supposed he was setting himself up as live bait.

 _Is this what the Pazzi felt when I came for them?_ he wondered. Perhaps it wasn't the same entirely. Ezio thought back to when he slew Francesco, and how the man had fled and desperately called for more and more guards. Then again, if Ezio found himself cornered, he too would request help.

As he turned a corner, the young assassin stopped dead. He saw something he did not think possible.

"Christina?"

"Ezio!" She smiled broadly and held out her arms.

The last son of the Auditore felt many things. Relief, confusion, love, fear. They all came crashing into him like carriages with rabid horses. He ran towards the love of his life, but stopped after only a few meters separated them.

How could she be here? What were the chances of her and him being reunited on an empty street so far away from their home? His Talent began sending signals to him like a city-wide alarm. It wasn't that something was wrong, but rather nothing was right.

"You aren't Christina." It was not an observation, but a fact.

Whoever stood before him let out a laugh that did not belong in the throat of a young woman. The lost love of Ezio's life was gone, and in her place stood a towering man with a nightmarish grin on his twisted face and a katar on each of his hands. What really got to Ezio was what appeared to be a third eye on the center of his forehead.

"No fooling you, eh?" He cackled. "It must have been hard, leaving such a pretty thing behind."

Ezio was taken aback. _How did he know that?!_

"Given enough time, I could learn everything about you, Ezio."

The young Florentine drew his sword. "Zanku, I presume?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me? I do prefer Zanku the Beheader."

Ezio made his voice drip with sarcasm. "My apologies, Zanku, _colui che decapita."_

"Why have you sought me out, Auditore? Did I kill someone close to you? No... you've been paid to kill me."

Ezio's eyes narrowed under his hood. _So, he can hear my thoughts._

"I certainly can!" Zanku motioned to his forehead, to the extra eye. "Spectator has many talents. Do you really think you can slay me?"

"It is a job I fully intend to complete."

Again, the murderer laughed. "You better make sure on that! Otherwise, I think I'll head down to Florence and pay your dear Miss Vespucci a visit." The threat was enough for Ezio's blood to start boiling, and yet Zanku dug deeper. "No. Not Miss. You left her behind, cursing her to marry someone else! Maybe I really should go and introduce myself! Put her out of her misery!"

That was the breaking point. Ezio gripped his sword tight enough to turn his fingers white and charged. Zanku was more than prepared, easily dodging Ezio's rage-fuelled swings.

"This is completely useless, Ezio! You're going to swipe downwards at me-" he did just that "- and are going to try and impale me with your father's weapon!" The serial killer jumped back, making it so Ezio's Hidden Blade failed to pierce his chest. Zanku made to strike, swinging his katar like scissors towards his foe. Ezio's instinct kicked in and he jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding being bisected. That was one factor in his favor. Zanku could read minds, but he still had to move like a normal fighter.

 **XXXXXX**

"You heard that too, right?" Tatsumi looked around, hearing the clanging of steel meeting steel.

"Perhaps the Beheader has found a resistive victim." Akame made towards the noise.

 **XXXXXX**

Ezio could feel his energy going away, being sapped by having to constantly stay in motion with a man who knew his every move.

"You're slowing down!" Zanku was having far too much fun for Ezio's taste. "You should have stuck with what's left of your family and trained more!"

With their blades currently locked, Ezio grabbed the small crossbow fastened to his shoulder blade, silently thanked himself for loading it beforehand, and brought it down in front of him. Before he could even pull the trigger, Zanku swung one of his katar, and cut the weapon in half. Not letting the shock get to him, Ezio planted his foot in Zanku's gut and forced them to separate.

"You should just give up!" Zanku howled. "You're just wasting both our time now."

Feeling desperation creep into him, Ezio blindly reached for the bombs Piri had given him and threw what he thought was a smoke bomb, his aim had fortune guiding it and it detonated at Zanku's feet. His explosive was a letdown. The meager fog it produced barely passed for a thin veil as it surrounded an obviously amused Zanku. Ezio gripped his sword even tighter. _"Merda!"_

The Beheader could not help but laugh. "That was your ace in the hole? Not that it would have worked anyway!" His cackling made him lose his breath. His inhalation made the fumes go down his throat and into his lungs. He coughed for a moment. Ezio glanced down to the ground, and saw the coloration of the shrapnel from his explosive. Yellow, from the casing for the datura bomb Piri had provided him.

 _Buona fortuna!_ Finally, he too grinned.

Zanku hacked more and more as the mist around him dissipated.

Ezio ran towards him. "All that _risate_ can wear out the throat!" He swung down. While Zanku again blocked it, his speed was obviously leaving him.

"You poisoned me..." Zanku's grin did not leave his face. "Good move, boy." He looked past Ezio at nothing. "The voices... they're fading..."

Ezio thought both to himself and Zanku, fully aware that he was listening, _you're insane. But you're still dangerous._

Seizing his moment of surprise, Ezio extended his father's assassin blade, and forced it into Zanku's neck.

The Beheader's smile went from sadistic to peaceful. The change was subtle but there. His eyes began to gloss over. "Happy..."

"May you find peace on this next journey." Ezio removed his steel from the flesh and closed Zanku's eyes. _"Requiescat in pace."_

Zanku the Beheader was no more. Ezio's focus went the tool that had given his prey such mental abilities. He gripped Spectator by its edge and pulled. He was surprised by how easy it left its master. Such a small thing had given that monster so many methods of murdering? Ezio shrugged. After all, a Hidden Blade could do what a sword was expected to do with far more efficiency.

As he gazed at it, a familiar voice filled his ears.

"Jaysus, man. I knew you were a killer. But I didn't take you for an animal."

Ezio spun around, recognizing the voice but not believing who was there until he saw. "Kenway?! What are you doing here?!"

Edward laughed. "Well... I've run into a spot of trouble, and I kind of was gonna ask you for some help..."

Ezio looked around, listening if his skuffle had caught any wandering ears. "Alright, but let's talk when we aren't standing next to a corpse."

XXXXXX

"It came from over here." Akame ran towards the spot which provided the noise with Tatsumi right behind her. When they turned the last corner...

Akame blinked. "Well. Zanku is no more."

Tatsumi's eyes wandered. "Yeah, but who killed him?"


	8. Time And Wounds Part 2

**Opening Notes: It has been a while, hasn't it. I had to go back and retcon a few things and planned very far ahead with how this tale is going to be told. I would like to deeply thank my new writing partner, without whom this all would have fallen apart.**

 **XXXXXX**

 **Chapter VIII: Time A** **nd Wounds Part 2**

 **XXXXXX**

 _"Ramming speed! Fire everything!" The Jackdaw unleashed its weaponry as it collided with the Imperial cruiser, causing both ships to rock from the impact as Kenway's cannons and fire bombs fly onboard the other vessel._

 _Wave flailed his arms in an attempt to keep his balance. "Damn it! Captain, what are your orders?!"_

 _The commander of the ship nervously frooze for a second, surprised by how a bunch of savage pirates manage to get the better of him. "F-fire back and create some distance! Quickly!"_

 _The Admiral shoved him to the wheel. "Send those assassins to the depths!"_

 _Back on the Jackdaw, Edward saw the retaliation from their prey. "Brace!"_

 _The Imperial cruiser's firepower rained down on the pirate vessel. Despite the crew taking cover, they still lost members. Edward gritted his teeth and steered the ship away before giving another command. "Heated Shot, now!"_

 _The two ships continued their attempts to sink the other, with the Jackdaw literally sailing circles around the cruiser._

 _Kenway laughed as he held onto the wheel. "Those Imperial vessels, Adè. Sure they can take a hit but they move like dammed turtles."_

 _Sibrand slammed his fist down as the mongrels continued circling them like a shark. "Why aren't they dead yet?!"_

 _A gunman shouted over to him, "they're too fast, Admiral! And their cannons have crippled our own!"_

 _The Admiral looked ready to pull his own hair out._ _"Damn!"_

 _Wave pulled out a very unique sword. "Don't worry sir, I'll hold them off. You focus on getting out of here."_

 _Back on the Jackdaw, Adéwale shouted over the cannon fire. "They're retreating captain!"_

 _Edward adjusts the course. "Not on our watch. After the-"_

 _"GRAND CHARIOT!"_

 _For the briefest of moments, a blinding flash shined from the cruiser, making every pirate shield his eyes. When it passed, Edward blinked a few times to clear his vision. "What in the name of-"_

 _"Incoming!"_

 _Before the captain could react, the ship rocked. It was as if a mortar had landed on them. Keeping his grip on the wheel, Edward looked down towards the deck and saw something he didn't expect to lay eyes on. A suit of dark armor standing on his vessel. And from it came a voice that told Kenway that whoever was wearing it was younger than him._

 _"You're all under arrest for attacking the Empire's forces. Surrender quietly and no harm will come to you."_

 _Edward gritted his teeth. He did not need this right now. His eyes drifted and he saw three shadows on the horizon. Three very large shadows that seemed to be growing._

 _"Oh hell..." A trio of man-o'-wars were closing in on them. He gestured to one of his gunmen, who nodded in understanding. Kenway called out from behind the wheel. "I got a better idea! You go save the sorry asses of your crewmates!" He pointed to the Imperial cruiser, which was aflame and steadily sinking. Kenway knew he had put the armored assailant at an impasse. Stop the pirates or save his own team. It was during that hesitation the Jackdaw crew made its move._

 _Adéwale manned a swivel gun and fired, the sizable shot striking the intruder square in the back. With his balance momentarily gone, the gunman Edward had silently ordered earlier took his turn. A few cut ropes laid on the deck as a heavy shot cannon was turned around and ignited. The massive steel orb gave enough force to make the armor go overboard._

 _Kenway laughed triumphantly. "Can you swim in that?! Huh?!" His celebration was cut short by s mortar shot from one of the man-o'-wars creating a hole the size of a carriage in the deck next to him. "Retreat!"_

 _ **XXXXXX**_

"And that's pretty much what happened. Managed to get away but the poor Jackdaw was so full of holes, I had to make port for repairs. Expensive repairs."

Ezio couldn't help but laugh at Edward's story. "You certainly have poor luck, _amico."_

Edward rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. That brings me to why I came looking for you. I've heard you've been buying up slums and giving people roofs over their heads."

 _"Si._ I couldn't just stand by and watch them all suffer when-"

Edward cut him off. "Sure sure. Anyway, I think I know a way we can help each other with our problems. See, this Capital's assassination market is monopolized by some gang called Night Raid. But not too far away is a place called Southwark. And it's _full_ of undesirables and people willing to pay a strong bit of coin to see them gone."

Ezio processed it all. "You want me... to help you kill people... to repair your ship?"

"Exactly. But you get something out of this too. You get to get rid of evil and snatch some income for your rat nests."

The Florentine thought for a moment... and pulled out the map he kept on him. He scanned it, looking for the town Edward had mentioned. After a moment, he found it placed numerous kilometers above the Capital. And luck be that a den of Romulus followers was not too far from it.

 _"Va bene._ I'm in."

Edward smiled broadly. "Excellent!"

"I just hope this all goes smoothly."

"Why wouldn't it? It's just a trip north is all."

 **XXXXXX**

Meanwhile, north of the Capital, the failure of the so-called Hero, Numa, was almost tangible. There he was, naked and bound, smiling like a lobotomy patient. With abandon, he licked the boots of the blue-haired woman who held the chain wrapped around his neck.

General Esdeath sighed. "How disappointing. I was hoping for at least a challange." Once she had her fill, she casually, almost lazily, kicked half of Numa's head off. "Isn't there _anyone_ who can satisfy me..."

 **XXXXXX**

Without warning or reason, Ezio sneezed.

"Bless you," Kenway said.

 _"Grazie."_

"Allergies?"

"No, I... I don't know what that was."

 **XXXXXX**

Leone leaned on the wall of the alley she and Altaïr were waiting in. "What exactly are we doing here? Garnier's fortress is the other way."

Altaïr gestured for her to lower her voice. "We need a way to get inside, without being noticed."

Leone groaned, "fine. But that doesn't answer my question really."

Altaïr gave her only silence as he continued to wait. Finally, a lone scholar walked by, on his way to who knew where. Altaïr grabbed him and knocked him out post haste. He carefully began to remove the white robes from his latest non-lethal victim. "Scholars are allowed in, and with the riflemen watching the rooftops, you keeping an eye on things from above is a rather bad idea."

Leone sighed, "I get it. You want me to stick close to you."

Altaïr passed the snowy fabric to her. "Exactly."

"So what's the plan for after we get in?" She began putting the ill-gotten getup over her own attire. Her bedfellow had picked a good donor; it fit her well enough.

"If Garnier does his rounds when his late employee claimed, I can strike him down without him noticing."

"Okay. And what am _I_ going to be up to?"

"If he rarely leaves his chambers, there must be something important."

Leone finished putting on the scholar robes. "Or maybe he's just a recluse. Then again, he might have some coin in there too... Still, it's unfair that you get the fun part again." She put the hood on and wondered how Altaïr always wore it when it cut off half his vision.

Altaïr didn't respond to that and they made their way towards Garnier's domain. Luck proved to be on their side as they encountered a group of actual scholars. The two assassins interlocked their own fingers, bowed their heads, and walked along with them.

Leone was shocked as ever that the ones they had basically intruded upon made no reaction. _Either they think we're one of them, or they just don't care._

Soon enough, the group came to the fortress and walked right through the entrance, passed the guards, and came to a courtyard within where Altaïr and Leone broke off from their silent companions.

Leone looked around. There was several people around, doing many different things. Some talking, others drinking, a few staring off at nothing. Keeping watch were a few guards spread throughout. "Seems normal."

Altaïr scanned his surroundings. "Looks can be decieving."

Before either of them could do anything else, a man, gaunt and sickly, came sprinting out from a doorway. "Help! Help me! Please!"

Two guards came from the same opening and moved to intercept. They didn't have to try hard, as the man's physique was quite poor. He fell over and the two Hospitalier Knights grabbed him and forced him to his knees. The other people present, including Altaïr and Leone, took notice and slowly began to form a tight-knit crowd around him. Suddenly the two massive doors on the far wall opened. Out from them came two more Knights and between them a man who looked far older than he was. His hair, graying from stress, was brushed back and he wore the same colors as the Hospitaliers. His most noticable feature was the apron he wore, as it was covered in blood.

Altaïr's eyes narrowed and he whispered, "that must be him."

Leone smirked. "That was fast." She made to step forward but her Hidden mate grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Not yet..."

Leone acquiesced and the two moved further up in the crowd to get a closer look.

"Enough, my child!" Garnier reprimanded the two holding his victim in place. "I asked you to retrieve the patient, not to kill him!" The doctor's attention turned to the patient and his veneer changed from disgust to comforting. "There there, it will be alright."

His possible hostage was not having any of it. "No! Don't touch me!"

Garnier either did not hear the rejection, or outright ignored it. "Give me your hand..."

The possibly insane man began wretching himself, trying to break free. "No! Not again!"

As he grew more aggressive, Garnier remained calm. "Cast out this fear, else I cannot help you."

"Help me!? Like you helped the others?! You took their souls! I saw! But no! You'll not take mine!"

Garnier struck him across the face, not losing his even look but adopting a more commanding tone. "Take hold of yourself."

A mere few meters away, Leone scowled. "Okay. Now I _really_ want to cave his face in."

Altaïr kept a hold on her.

Her words went unheard by anyone else and Garnier continued with his efforts to dissuade the person who had very likely been tortured. "You think this gives me pleasure? You think I want to hurt you? You give me no choice."

Finally, the victim broke free and ran along the edge of the crowd, yelling at them. "Every kind word, matched by the back of his hand!" He grabs onto Altaïr and stares into him. The Levantine saw nothing but fear in the man. "All lies and deception!"

Two Knights grabbed him by the shoulders and neck and pry him off. One of them gave Altaïr an apologetic glance.

The two armed men return the would-be escapee to his knees in front of the bloody doctor. "He won't be content until all bow before him!"

Garnier's patience seemed to have run dry. "You should not have done that. Return him to his quarters. I'll be around once I finish with the others."

"You can't keep me here! I'll escape again!"

Garnier looked at him with a coldness. "No. You won't. Break his legs. Both of them."

One of the Knights who had come through the main doors with him stepped forward as his comrades adjusted their victim so that his lower limbs were out in front of him. He raised his foot, and brought it down hard on the patient's knee. The snap was heard by everyone present. Instantly, screaming filled the courtyard, drowning out the crack of the other leg.

Garnier had a look of annoyance on his face as his latest victim cried out and begged. "That's enough of your whining. Take him away." The Knights dragged their bounty back into the makeshift hospital through the main doors. Garnier looked back to the silent throng. "Don't you have anything better to do?" He too walked through the entrance, and the doors closed behind him. The crowd dispersed and Altaïr looked at Leone, instantly noticed her seething.

She took a few deep breaths. "Make sure he ends up dead."

Altaïr nodded and pointed to the side door the spectacle had emerged from. The two walked through it.

"For luck," Leone claimed after kissing his cheek and splitting off from him.

The Hidden One traipsed along, taking in everything. There were numerous cots everywhere, some occupied and some vacant. The entire place smelled of incense.

He looked around and saw a few results of Garnier's work. They shivered and giggled at nothing, walking randomly. Altaïr made sure to avoid them so as not to gain unwanted noise and attention. He kept to the sides, near the walls, to as unnoticed as possible. As he made his way in, he over his target and one of his Knights discussing something.

"Sir, le Roi has sent word. He's going to be late this week."

"So be it. Thank you."

Altaïr's eyes narrowed in thought. _Le Roi? A name? A title?_

He put it in the back of his mind and followed his target.

Elsewhere in the horror show, Leone came to another door. "This has to be it." She tried the knob, and much to her surprise it turned. She pushed the wooden barrier open and quietly shut it behind her. _This guy sure doesn't have trust issues..._

Altaïr continued tailing the doctor who came to a stop to inspect another glorified experiment.

The man looked up from his cot and smiled with gratitude. "Thank you, for everything."

Garnier returned the warm expression. "It is my duty and pleasure, child."

The exchange through Altaïr off. The similar ones that followed more it worse. Was Garnier not the monster the informants had made him out to be? Altaïr shook the doubt from his mind. Al Mualim had marked him for death, and that's all that mattered.

Right?

He followed silently until Garnier came to a corner and checked over an unconscious woman. Altaïr took this as the time to strike. He crept up and quick as thought, covered Garnier's mouth with one hand and shoved his Hidden Blade into the tormentor's back.

 **XXXXXX**

"Let go your burden."

"Ah... I'll rest now, yes. The endless dream calls to me. But before I close my eyes, I must know... what will become of my children?"

"You mean the people made to suffer your cruel experiments? They'll be free now, to return to their homes."

"Homes? What homes? The sewers? The brothels? The prisons we dragged them from?"

"You took these people against their will."

"Yes. What little will there was for them to have. Are you really so naive? Do you appease a crying child simply because he wails? 'But I want to play with fire, father.' What would you say? 'As you wish?' Then you would answer for his burns."

"These are not children, but men and women fully grown."

"In body perhaps. But not in mind, which is the very damage I sought to repair. I admit, without the Piece of Eden, which you stole from us, my progress was slowed. But I still made headway with the herbs, mixtures, and extracts. My guards are proof of this. They were madmen before I found and freed them from the prisons of their own minds... and with my death, madmen they will be again."

"You truly believe you were helping them..."

"It's not what I believe. It's what I know."

 **XXXXXX**

His task complete, Altaïr bloodied the feather with assistance from Garnier's wound and walked away. He would have perhaps a few moments before the cadaver was discovered and a panic would start. He made his way towards the exit, quickly joined by Leone.

"Well, he didn't have any money."

"We can discuss this _after_ we get outside."

Before she could respond, the sound of screaming bounced off the walls behind them. "I take it you got the job done?"

Escaping the fortress proved to be easy. The duo made their way to the Bureau and dropped in, where the Rafiq, Jabal, was waiting.

"What news, Altaïr?"

The Night Raid member presented the stained feather. "Garnier is dead."

Jabal pulled out a book and began writing in it. "Excellent. I shall send word to Al Mualim of your success."

Altaïr hesitated for a moment. "There's something else..."

Jabal didn't look up from his book. "Speak it then, or would you have me read your mind?"

"What did Garnier want so much that he would keep those people locked up and experiment on them? What was he after?"

Leone pondered on that. It was a rather good question...

Jabal spoke up. "It doesn't matter. All that does is that he is dead. Yours is not to think, but to act."

Altaïr wasn't about to just give up on this little inquisition. "But Garnier seemed to believe he was helping those people."

"Is that what you saw?"

"No. What I saw was not a place of healing, but of pain."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"I... I don't know. Forget what I said."

Jabal finished writing and closed his book. "I already have."

 **XXXXXX**

"Is something wrong, boss?" Akame asked as she polished Murasame with the utmost care.

Sheele took a shot in the dark at the possible issue. "Are you worried about Leone and Altaïr?"

Najenda took a long drag off her cigarette and exhaled. "No, I'm sure both of them are fine. I just received word from Armand."

All of the veteran members of Night Raid grimaced while Tatsumi looked on with a confused veneer.

"Who's that?"

Mine smirked and pointed at him. "You really are hopeless, you know that?"

Before he could retort, Bulat answered his question. "He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army."

Najenda nodded. "And he's wondering just why more of Honest's cronies aren't dead yet."

"He can be rather impatient," Akame added. "But his head is in the right place."

 **XXXXXX**

Far away from the Capital, an imposing man looked at the men and women who had sworn to follow him, no matter where that path might lead, be it salvation or the gallows. He took his position in stride, and graciously preached of a coming era of rebirth and justice to this army the Grand Masters had entrusted him with. They made sure that no matter what would happen in the times to come, the seeds of the New World would be planted.

As he pondered on what may come, a balding man of authority second only to his own approached and bowed.

"Armand."

The high commander of the Revolution gestured to him. "At ease, Sleeman."

His right hand man rose back to full height. "We have confirmation that before long, General Esdeath will be recalled to the Capital."

Armand nodded and looked around, making sure they were alone. "Then Night Raid has been doing their jobs _too_ well... We shall see what becomes of this. The Grand Masters have made it clear that there is absolutely no place for her in the New World."

"Yes, Master."

"May the Father of Understanding guide us through the coming storm..."

 **XXX Omake XXX**

Lubbock voiced a question he'd had for a while. "So... Altaïr gets to tell his entire life story?"

Akame thought on it for a moment. "He _is_ the main character."

"He is?" Tatsumi questioned. "I thought Ezio was."

Najenda smirked and added, "maybe it should be called _Altaïr ga Kiru."_


	9. Off We Go

"Well, that was fun." Leone felt that letting out a laugh would not relieve the air surrounding her lover.

Altaïr gave only silence.

Leone decided to change the subject and pulled out a document she had swiped from Garnier's office. "I thought this looked important. Is it a combination or something?"

Altaïr looked at the numbers for a long moment. "No... these are map coordinates."

"To where?"

"I'm not sure. But I know somebody who can help us."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"So before we leave..." Edward pulled out the trinket Ezio had pried from Zanku's forehead. "We should sell this. For horses and food along the way."

Ezio was confused. "What's a simple piece of... whatever that is going to get us?"

Edward held back a laugh. "Ain't you ever heard of Teigu?"

Ezio's eyes widened as he looked at the prize he had taken. "My father used to tell me stories..."

"Aye. Normally, I'd suggest we keep it. But nowadays, having one of these is like painting a target on your face."

The Florentine nodded in understanding. "And just who, pray tell, are we selling it to?"

"The highest bidder, obviously. So long as they aren't Templars."

"Then that doesn't leave many options, from what I've observed."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Leone could slice the tension in the room with her claws.

"What brings you about today, novice?" Malik asked with a casual air that hid his true attitude well.

Were the situation not as it was, Altaïr would have voiced that he was certainly not a novice. But now was not the time for arguing. The fallen Master pulled out the slip of parchment his lioness had swiped from the hellhole of illness and passed it to his peer. "Leone found this in Garnier's private chambers. I'd like to know where the location indicated is."

Malik took the small piece and looked at it for a moment. He set it down on the side of the counter that separated him and Altaïr before going over to a shelf and pulling out a map of the Capital's surrounding areas as well as a small toolkit.

Leone, being completely unfamiliar with cartography, had no clue what Malik was doing, and Altaïr, currently staring at his peer silently, was not explaining.

The measuring. The scaling. The rechecking. She might as well have been blind and watching prop comedy.

Finally, Malik made a small mark on the map and handed it to Altaïr. "There is your mystery spot."

Altaïr looked at it. Evidently, Garnier had had business a few dozen kilometers north of the Capital. He rolled up the map and slid it into his robes. "Thank you, Malik."

As the two Night Raiders walked out, the Rafiq looked at them with slight disbelief. _'Thank you'? Did he really just..._

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"So I take it you're going on a little trip?" Najenda asked knowingly after Altaïr presented Malik's latest gift to him.

Altaïr nodded. "It could be anything from a safehouse to another hospital of Garnier's."

The Boss took a drag from her cigarette. "Since this is Brotherhood business, I can't really do anything to stop you."

Leone put her arms around her lover. I'm going with him."

Najenda looked at Altaïr. "Your call."

"I'm fine with that." He thought for a moment. "Where is the country boy?"

"Out near the stream with Sheele. It was her turn to train him today."

Altaïr nodded and walked out. "We Hidden also drown our recruits to inspire survival."

Leone blinked at his back as he left. "He has a very weird past."

Altaïr ventured away from the the hideout and came to the running water, but did not find either of his teammates. Looking in both directions, he decided to try his chance downstream. His instincts paid off; after a couple hundred meters of walking, he came across a sight. Sheele was sitting on a rock, shouting encouragement to a partially submerged Tatsumi.

Altaïr watched in silence. _Can he not swim?_ he wondered. His thought was proven wrong when Tatsumi exited the river wearing a set of armor.

"Heavy... very heavy." The country boy panted and dripped.

Altaïr spoke up. "It will only get harder from here."

Tatsumi nearly lost his balance at the shock of the Hidden One seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Sheele, on the other hand, simply waved at him, having grown accustomed to his reappearing act.

"Did you get him?" the airhead asked.

"Yes. And I couldn't have done it sooner. It was a horror show."

Tatsumi started taking off the armor. "What do you mean?"

"Garnier ran a... he and his guards called it a hospital, but it was anything but. He drugged them, brainwashed them. I saw him order two of his men to break the legs of a man who tried to escape."

Both of them looked at him with shock and disgust.

"Goodness..."

Tatsumi clenched his teeth. "How can anybody justify doing things like that to people?"

Altaïr thought back on Garnier's parting words. "He claimed that he saw himself as their savior. That he saved them from squalor."

"I'd rather sleep on the street than ask him for his help."

The Levant native again pondered. "Yet, I saw some of his patients thanking him for his treatment... it doesn't matter anymore. Tatsumi, get back to the base and pack for a free days trip."

Tatsumi smiled for a moment before it was replaced with confusion. "Where are we going?"

"I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure. But it definitely involves Garnier in some way."

Tatsumi nodded and grabbed the pieces of steel he had taken off his person before running off.

Sheele spoke up before Altaïr could move from his spot. "So I'll see you when you get back. Unless you get killed."

Altaïr would have scoffed at the notion of him being bested, but since the very thing happened between him and Robert de Sable, he knew that he was indeed not invincible. "I'll do all in my power to make sure all of us survive, Sheele." He turned on his heels and went back the way he came. "Be safe, you airhead."

Sheele waved at him with a smile.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"And we are off!" Edward mounted his newly bought steed.

Ezio double-checked his saddle bags before doing the same. "I didn't think you knew how to ride."

"Grew up on a farm, Ez. Wasn't anything else to do but throw knives and break horses."

Ezio chuckled as they rode out of the massive wall surrounding the Capital. "You've quite the adventurous demeanor."

"No life is better lived than one to the fullest."

"On that, we can agree. What is this Southwark like?"

"From what I've heard, it's some sort of industrial town. Factories on every block."

"And yet the people of the Capital think they live on the only patch of civilized soil."

"Yeah. Pricks, the lot of 'em. Especially those prudes called noblewomen. With their noses in the air... makes me miss my Caroline."

Ezio raised an eyebrow. "You have a girlfriend waiting for you?"

Edward sighed deeply. "No. Not anymore. My wife died a couple months ago. Fever."

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry."

Edward gave a weak smile. "Thanks, man. Plus, I got a little girl out in Bristol. My daughter, Jenny."

"Then why are you here and not there?"

"You can guess what would happen if the Templars found out about her! That's why! It's why I follow Ah Tabai's orders, why I fight the good fight. To make the world safe for her."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"You know how to ride one of these?" Leone patted the horse she and the newest Night Raider would be riding to... wherever they were going.

"Not really. My village barely had money for food, let alone these."

Leone smiled slyly and gets on her steed. "Then just hold on to big sis. I'll make sure you don't fall off. Just hold onto me."

Tatsumi tried to keep his paranoia hidden. Despite his short time around the group of assassins, he could tell that upsetting Altaïr was akin to signing one's own death certificate. And laying a hand on his lover was guaranteed to get him mad.

He got in the saddle but kept his arms at his side. "I should really focus on making sure my sword doesn't going anywhere."

Leone laughed. "Sure thing. Keep telling yourself that."

Altaïr, on his own mount, comes up to them. "We should start moving."

"How far is it?" Tatsumi asked.

Altaïr looked at the map Malik had marked for him. "Judging by our base's position and the location indicated... at least a couple hundred kilometers." He returned the parchment to his robe pocket and took the reins, making his steed gallop away.

"Heeyah!" Leone mimicked her man's actions, causing their horse to race off as well.

"Who taught you how to ride these things?!" Tatsumi asked loudly, making sure his words were not drowned out by the hooves pounding into the ground.

"Al!" She shouted over her shoulder. "He showed me a few pointers when we first got together!"

Tatsumi didn't bother responding. He was too busy trying to keep her makeshift cape from smacking him in the face.

On and on the horses carried them. As they entered less level terrain, Tatsumi felt himself begin to slip and, on a reflex, wrapped his arms around Leone, making several thoughts enter his mind.

 _I had to! I didn't want to fall off! I'm so happy Altaïr is in front of us... unless he has eyes on the back of his head. I've never seen him with his hood down. Wow, Big Sis sure is soft..._

Eventually the sun began to fall on the horizon.

Altaïr pulled back on the straps, making his steed slow down and gradually stop in a forest. "We'll set up camp here." He dismounted and began making a fire.

Tatsumi looked around. "Out here in the open?"

Leone smirked. "Afraid of getting eaten?"

"No! I've done this before. It's just... part of me had hoped those days were over."

"No such luck, little bro."

As the hours passed, Tatsumi felt his eyes get heavy... but he was snapped back into awareness. He heard heavy breathing. For an instant he feared that Danger Beasts had surrounded them, but the still flickering flames revealed the truth. Altaïr's head was turning, as if he was looking right to left over and over again, and his leg was twitching.

His worry for his teammate surfaced. "Altaïr?"

Leone crawled over to the Hidden One and put an arm around him. Tatsumi noticed a difference in Altaïr's movement.

"His nightmares," the Lioness explained quietly. "He told me that every night he sees Ahmad killing himself."

Tatsumi found the predicament horrifying. _Every time he sleeps, he sees that suicide?! I think I'd go crazy after a week!_


	10. Unwanted Attention

"So this is Southwark." Ezio looked around at all the factories, shops, and roads. He inhaled deeply. "Smells like Roma... but even more polluted."

Edward shrugged. "You think this is bad? Never go to Madrid. Now then, let's go cleanse society."

Ezio spied a wall of wanted posters. "That seems a good place to start." The two walked over and looked closer at the portraits. "Night Raid... horse thief... Night Raid... murderer... another Night Raid..."

Edward ripped off one of the posters and looks at it. The drawing of the short-haired female with an eyepatch was enticing to him. _Jaysus... what a woman..._

Ezio nudged him. "I don't think we are going to find any of Night Raid around here."

Edward shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Of course not. The Capital is their turf." He leaned in close and whispered into the Florentine's ear, "besides. They get rid of those bastards for us."

 _"Va bene."_

Edward folded up the poster he had removed, placed it in his pocket, and returned his attention to the wall. "So many to choose from..."

 **XXXXXXXXX Two days later XXXXXXXXX**

A mighty dragon landed in a clearing, and off it jumped a woman with ling blue hair and a white military outfit. She ran a hand along the beast's maw with a rare smile. "Rest up. That bearded pig can wait another few days. I've heard great things about this place..."

General Esdeath walked off towards the town of Southwark. She took in the surroundings, unimpressed. The hustle and bustle of the place made her presence unknown to the people passing by her; hardly any of them looked at her. "This is a cesspool of gang violence? I beg to-"

"This is it?!" She looked over to see two men, wearing excessive cloth, one of whom was wearing a hood, talking with a shady man in a suit. The blonde had a look of anger while the hooded one had his veneer hidden enough to be unreadable. "Do you know how many bodyguards he had?!"

The man of wealth, fear in his eyes, put up his hands. "Starrick Industries has been taking all my business."

Before the scruffy blonde could yell anymore, his apparent partner spoke with a very noticable southern accent. "Easy, amico. It's better than nothing."

The blonde sighed heavily and walked off with his friend. "Jaysus. This is not what I had in mind, Ezio. I dragged you here with a dream."

Ezio lowered his hood with a smile that somehow managed to be both smug and sympathetic. _"Si._ To come here and get drachmae for your ship."

 _He's... young._ This caught the General's attention and her thoughts turn to her list...

The grisly tanned one nodded. "Yeah. But I didn't think it would take a year!"

Before they made it more than a dozen steps before they pass an alleyway, where a man dressed partially in green whistles to them. "Oi, Kenway. If you really wanna make some coin, go hunting."

Ezio tilts his head. "Eh? What do you mean, Rook?"

 _Rook?_ Esdeath wondered. _Is that his name?_

The one called Rook grinned at the pair. "It's supply and demand. And everything about Danger Beasts is in demand. Their hides make clothes. Their meat is great for butchers. Their blood and teeth go in tonics."

Ezio looked at him blankly. _"Lordo."_

Kenway, however, seemed intrigued. "Hhmmm... we'll think on it." The two depart from the man in the alley. "We gotta go buy some rifles."

 _"Che cosa?! Perché?!"_

Kenway looked at him. "Ez, I can't understand your first tongue, you know that."

"Why are we going-"

"Because I'm not going out looking for Danger Beasts with just pistols."

Ezio processed the words. "So... your plan is to just go out and look for monsters... and shoot them?" Kenway nodded, and Ezio shrugged. "Why not?"

The General, slowly exiting hearing range, followed them. _These two... they're either fearless or something else. Perhaps my army could get a couple recruits..._

Kenway let out a laugh. "It seems this adventure has taken a detour, oh young sidekick."

Ezio gave him a glance. "I'm not your sidekick."

"Oh? You're younger than me, less experienced, and you're doing as I say." From his tone, it's blatant that he is not being serious.

Esdeath narrowed her eyes. _Younger..._ She thought about her list... judging by the accent, he clearly was not from the Capital. And he did indeed appear youthful...

The duo continued on with Kenway speaking up. "Where do you suppose we can get some guns around here?"

Ezio pointed to a shop. "Possibly the one with the sign that says 'FIREARMS' over the door."

"Right. Sure. Wait outside." Edward walked in and Ezio leaned on the wall. His eyes drifted and he noticed a woman with blue hair and a body most would kill for looking at him.

 _Dio mio..._ _ora che è una donna._ He gave his best smile and winked.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"This is it." Altaïr put the map back in his robes and looked down from the overlook he and his two comrades currently occupied.

"Looks like a normal settlement to me," Leone commented. "Even with the adjoined cemetery."

"Looks can be deceiving," the Hidden One said. "Stay close and keep attention away from yourselves." He led the way down, eventually hitching his horse outside an Inn.

Tatsumi dismounted the nag, careful not to make his saddle-soreness worse. "What's the plan?"

Altaïr checked his weapons. "Find a Templar and get answers."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"The proud ones who think they're untouchable can often be seen wearing the Order's mark."

"What mark?"

In response, Altaïr carved a strange cross into the wall they were next to.

Leone spoke up, "and if that doesn't work, Al's extra sight can spot one from a mile away."

Altaïr gestured for them to quite down. "Leone. Go your own way and see what you can find. Tatsumi, stay close to me."

The young swordsman obeyed and kept the pace with his teammate.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"You ever been hunting before?" Edward asked as he loaded his newly bought rifle on the edge of town, not too far from the wilderness.

Ezio did the same. "Not once."

Edward laughed. "Well, you hunt people so this all will come naturally to you. Now c'mon, let's go make some coin." The two (or rather, unknown to the Hidden Ones, three) made their way into the treeline. After going roughly a kilometer, Edward gestured for them to stop and pointed. Ezio followed his finger and spotted a Beast. It was large, yellow and had large horns, and thankfully for them it was asleep.

Edward crouched down and whispered, "Jackaleo... I'll draw his attention and you flank him, alright?" He looked to his side and found that he was alone. _What the?!_

He looked back to the Danger Beast, and not a second later, Ezio dropped onto its back from the trees, and plunged a sword into the predator's neck. It didn't move as he pulled the steel out. The Florentine looked at his shocked compatriot. "What? Shooting it would either scare off the others or draw a lot of unwanted attention to us."

Edward managed to close his mouth. "R-right. Nice kill."

Ezio looked at the corpse. "We should have rented a carriage..."

"Aye... we didn't really think this through."

 _No... you didn't._ Esdeath thought to herself as she spectated from a distance. Having grown up in a hunting tribe, she knew how to avoid detection and to observe. _You, Ezio... you have potential... and you're fearless... I need to figure out how old you are..._

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"How are we going to find one of them, Altaïr?"

"Templars often infiltrate the authorities of any part of civilization. It's just process of elimination. Now be quiet so I can listen."

"Listen? For what?"

Altaïr gave no answer. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Tatsumi looked at him with a lost expression for what felt like hours before the Hidden One's eyes opened. "There's one." He led the way down the street and pointed.

Tatsumi looked at the men Altaïr had singled out. There didn't seem anything out of the ordinary with them. "How can you tell?"

"Just focus on them and listen."

Tatsumi nodded and attempted to do as he was told. He tried, but couldn't manage to ignore the rest of the noise around him. Altaïr, however, did so without effort.

"I didn't expect the Grand Master himself to show up."

Those words caught Altaïr off guard. _Robert is here?!_

The two Templars continued their conversation. "I agree. Just what is he looking for? We've been here for weeks and all we seem to do is stand around."

"It is not our place to ask questions, only to follow orders."

Those words also grabbed onto the Levantine as he thought back to informing Jabal of his success in slaying Garnier. He shook the memory from his mind and continued to follow the Templars with Tatsumi in tow. The two followers of the Order ventually split off from one another and the Night Raid duo followed one of them. Eventually the man led them to the graveyard, and that is when Altaïr made his move.

He crept up to his target, and faster than Tatsumi had ever seen a man move, grabbed the Templar by the back of his head, and slammed his face onto a headstone. Before the man could even react, the Hidden One punched him hard in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. On and on Altaïr assaulted him.

After a full minute, the man could take no more. "Stop! Please stop!"

Altaïr did just that. "What does Robert want here?"

"Robert? No, not him. Germain."

Altaïr hid his surprise and continued his questioning. "Very well. What is Germain after?"

"I swear I don't know! Every day, he goes down into the catacombs," the Templar pointed to what looked like the opening of a cave on the far side of the graveyard, "and he always comes out empty handed."

"Is he down there now?"

"I... I don't know."

"Thank you." Altaïr stabbed him in the neck.

Tatsumi watched with palor as his comrade dragged the corpse out of sight. _Did... did I just watch a torture session and execution?_

A slender arm draped itself on his shoulders. "I miss anything cool?"

He looked to his side and saw a smiling Leone. "Altaïr nearly beat a man to death."

Leone sighed with arousal. "And I missed it."

Altaïr returned from hiding his latest victim. "Good, you caught up. You two, stay here and make sure I'm not followed."

Leone looked at him with slight confusion. "Where you going?"

Her lover pointed to the catacombs. "In there."

"What, alone? Are you sure about that?"

Altaïr thought back to how he had left Malik and Kadar behind, costing one them an arm and the other his life. "We don't know what's down there. Just stay here and make sure I'm not followed."

Instantly, the Lioness was engulfed in flames for a moment before they died out, revealing her in her bestial form. "Fine. But I'm going in after you in ten minutes."

Altaïr nodded and walked to the entrance. Going down, he expected it to be cloaked in darkness, but found that the walks all had torches on them. "Makes sense. He did say the Grand Master came down here constantly."

Making his way further in, he began to hear voices echoing off the walls.

"- would never come? That because Francois de la Serre had no sons to avenge him, that your crime would go unanswered?!"

The words, clearly from a woman, struck a cord in Altaïr. _De la Serre? As in Grand Master de la Serre? He's been dead for years..._

A man with an authoritative tone answered her. "Revenge, is it? Your vision is as narrow as your father's."

Altaïr followed the voices to their source. _De la Serre's killer is here?_ He had heard of the late Grand Master's departure, but never the details of it. He found an open door and looked inside. In the center of a chamber was a man, dressed in black and holding a glowing sword. The sight of the blade made the son of Umar recall the Templar Treasure Malik had retrieved from the ancient Temple.

 _If he killed de la Serre... perhaps we share a goal?_

The woman from earlier spoke again, her voice bouncing all about the room. "You're one to talk. How wide of vision is your grab for power?"

The man looked around, trying to find her. "Power? Don't be absurd. It's about control. Did your father teach you nothing?"

Altaïr took cover behind a fallen pillar. _So much for a common goal._ He looked over and saw another male, dressed in Brotherhood robes, crouching behind what could have been a sarcophagus. The two locked eyes. The other Hidden One quickly checked from his cover to make sure their opponent wasn't focusing on their general location, and slid over next to Altaïr.

"Hi. Arno Dorian. Pleasure to meet you. The man with the sword? Germain, the bad guy. And you are?"

"Altaïr."

"Good, we've got the introductions out of the way. I'll blind him, and you charge."

They both nodded.

Arno pulled a smoke bomb from his pouch. "On three. Un. Deus. Trois!"

He threw the bomb, surrounding Germain in a blinding veil.

The Grand Master waved his free hand around, trying to clear the thick fog, when he saw a silhouette rushing toward him. He willed the power of his Sword of Eden to activate, and as the illumination became blinding, the intruder's hands grabbed him just as a flash from the blade was unleashed.

Arno waited for a few moments and heard only silence. He peeked out from his cover and found both men to be absent. "What?!"

His lover, Èlise, abandoned her hiding place as well. "Where did he go?!"

"I don't-"

"Never mind! Come on!" She began leading him out of the room.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Leone sniffed the air, and her eyes widened. "He's gone!"

Tatsumi looked at her. "What?"

"I can't smell him!" She ran towards the entrance, only for a man and woman to emerge from it. The male had robes similar to Altaïr's, albeit with more colors. And the woman looked regal yet ready to fight.

Leone approached them. "Who are you?"

"Who are _you?"_ the man countered.

"Where is Germain?!" The woman demanded.

 **"Who is Germain?!"** Leone was losing patience.

Tatsumi looked at the woman, and noticed her necklace. It had a charm on it... in the shape of the mark Altaïr had shown him no long ago. He drew his sword. "She's a Templar!"

The man stepped between them. "Easy! Calm down! You know about the Templars?"

Leone wracked her brain for the words Altaïr lived by. "Nothing is true and everything is permitted."

Arno looked at her. "Okay. So we're all on the same page."

"Doesn't explain why you're defending a Templar," Tatsumi pointed out.

"It's a long story."

His lover cut him off before he started. "One we can share later. Right now, I need answers. Did you see a man in black run out of the tunnel?"

Leone shook her head.

Arno stroked his chin. "So they didn't come out... and they aren't back there... so where are they?"

 **XXXXXXXXX**

It happened within an instant.

Altaïr kept his hands gripped on the sword but noticed he and the man who could only be Germain were now outside.

The Grand Master looked at him with interest as they both pulled at the blade. "So... you can use it."

Altaïr gave no words and focused solely on pulling the sword away from his foe. Germain was stronger than he looked.

"You have no idea just who, or what, you are, do you?"

His words stung Altaïr's pride. "I am a Hidden One, like my father before me!"

"Oh. So you are with them. Do you know why you always lose? Why the Cult of Kosmos, the Order of the Ancients, the Order of the Knights Templar never vanishes? Because we don't need a creed dreamed up by old men! As long as the world is as it is, we will be here!" He kicked Altaïr in the groin, making the Levantine loosen his grip. Germain used his leg again and made Altaïr completely let go with a blown to the head.

Altaïr felt a daze begin to infect him. His vision blurred as Germains raised his sword and prepared to strike him down. Letting instinct overtake him, he flexed his arm, letting his wrist blade exit his bracer. As Germain swung, Altaïr moved his torso and plunged his Hidden Blade into the Grand Master's wrist. Instantly when he acquired the injury, Germain made the sword charge up again. Seeing what was about to happen, Altaïr gripped the blade as well.

With another flash, the two found themselves on a mountain slope. Taking the first move, Altaïr stood up and again tried to yank the sword away. "Yes, so long as the world stays the same! That's why I fight to lift the veil you and yours have dropped on it! To make change come to us all!"

He pulled the hilt and kicked the Grand Master at the same time, making Germain let go, and roll roughly down and off the slope and out of sight.

Altaïr walked to the edge and looked over. He didn't see anything due to the sun having set. He looked at his prize. It glowed like a fire on bronze. After staring at it, his mind drifted. _Where am I? And how do i get back?_

As if reading his thoughts, the sword's illumination increased, and took him away from the location.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"They aren't anywhere." The group of Night Raid, a Hidden One, and a Templar stood in a circle.

"Where could they have gone?!" Èlise wanted Germain dead more than anything.

Before any of them could offer an assumption, the spot next to them lit up like a firework, making them all cover their eyes.

Altaïr, standing before them, suddenly felt exhausted. He collapsed to one knee.

Leone moved her claw away from her face. "Al!" She ran over and hugged him. "You're okay?"

"Tired. And sore."

Èlise marched over. "Where is Germain?"

"I don't know."

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know!"

"Where is he?"

 **"I don't know!"**

Arno gently placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. "I see you kept his sword."

Altaïr tried to catch his breath. "Yes."


	11. Bad Influence

_A millennium ago, two men looked at a massive map as several guards line the walls, making sure nothing attacks them._

 _The first lets_ _out a laugh as his companion moved a small figurine of a horse towards the furthest part of the marked land. "Years upon years of plans and movements have finally paid off."_

 _The second man nodded. "The Order has rooted into the land, Flavius, and nothing can remove it."_

 _Flavius patted his comrade on the back. "You seem optimistic, as you should be." Every outcome had been looked into and thought out. Every opponent had been eliminated. Every border had been shattered. The Order of the Ancients had their prize. "History will write us as uniters. At last... the world need only remain as it is."_

 _The other man pondered. "A domain of such magnitude will need protecting."_

 _Flavius was unconcerned. "That is what Lucius and his armies are for."_

 _The Wolf, as he was known in the Order, nodded but kept his eyes on the map. "We've the land, but the masses are a different matter." Part of him could not help but feel a sliver of fear dig into his skin. The people might rebel, after all. Humans tended to do that when their usual routines were interrupted or altered. This minimal paranoia had felled his mind for some time. "I think... precautions might be in order."_

 _Flavius gave a dismissive wave. "Once I open that forsaken Vault, nobody will ever even think ill of their lives ever again."_

 _The Wolf persisted. He followed Flavius' orders, but he still had his own will and ideas. "True, but you might not succeed in that endeavor. Hence, I already took a liberty."_

 _Flavius clicked his tongue, slightly irritated. "What sort of 'precautions' did you have in mind."_

 _"I have been... inspired by the Relics of Those Who Came Before. And I've been busy experimenting on Danger Beasts. In fact, I've already got two perfected."_

 _Flavius raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?"_

 _The Wolf quickly dissuaded his master's suspicions by speaking the truth. "I intened for him to be a gift to you, for leading the Order to greatness."_

 _Flavius adopted an expression of mild confusion. "Him?"_

 _The Wolf clapped his hands twice, and the main doors of the room opened. In walked in what seemed to be a tall man in his mid- to late twenties. He had two bull-like horns coming out of the sides of his head and dark blue hair. On his chin was stubble that would grow into a soul patch if he left it alone, and on his back was a massive silver mace. Despite all that, Flavius was most unnerved by the whiteness of the man's garb; it reminded him of that irritating Medjay._

 _The stranger kneeled before them with a blank veneer._

 _The leader of the Order narrowed his eyes. Who... no, **what** is he?"_

 _"I call him Susanoo," answered the Wolf before turning his head to address his creation. "Susanoo. This is Flavius, the Lion. He is your Master. You will protect him and do as he says without question."_

 _Susanoo bowed his head even lower. "I am at your beck and call, Master."_

 _Flavius, being a man who loved having power and being obeyed, grinned. "Stand."_

 _Susanoo obeyed without hesitation._

 _The Lion, wanting to see just how blind his latest subordinate's dedication was, pointed to a guard. "Kill him."_

 _The poor man began to panic. "Wait, wh-" Susanoo moved so quickly, it was as if he was a blur. The moment he reentered the visibility of the naked eye, the guard's neck was broken and his body a heap on the floor._

 _Flavius could not fight back a laugh. "Oh, I like this new toy."_

 _The Wolf beamed with a sense of honor and accomplishment. "I thought you would."_

 _The Lion snapped his fingers, and Susanoo walked towards him, returning to his side. "You mentioned a second one of these... creations?"_

 _"I did. The other one is currently in the hands of Lucius."_

 _"I cannot help but wonder, what is it called?"_

 _"Incursio."_

 _The leader of the Order nodded. It was a foreboding name. His attention quickly turned to Susanoo. This man, or rather, thing, would make getting to the Vault far easier. Perhaps this time, no children would die. At that, Flavius felt a pang of disappointment. The boy's demise by his hand had put the rest of the Order in line behind him. He shook it off. "Come, Susanoo. We're off on a little journey."_

 _"Yes, Master." Susanoo followed him out._

 _The Wolf turned back to his map. "Clean up that body," he said to the remaining guards. He heard the rustling behind him, but he paid it no mind as he stared at the representation of the Order's domain, a breadth that had been entrusted to him._

 _His masters, peers, and servants within the Order of the Ancients knew him as the Wolf._

 _History, and those who both wrote and read it, would remember him as the First Emperor._

* * *

 _Many, many years later, Grand Master Torres read the reports of those who had survived to write them. "Damn the Partas. Damn them all!" He tapped his fingers on a desk. The Observatory was somewhere. It had to be. No stone could be left unturned. But those forsaken Danger Beast hunters were keeping his men away from their considerably large turf. "At least one of them is Hidden, I just know it."_

 _He had the manpower and weaponry to wipe them out, but that was most certainly arouse suspicion from the Emperor and General Ishak. That was attention he rather would not have._

 _"Uh, sir?" spoke a meek voice. The Grand Master's eyes drifted to the source. The speaker was a boy, young and wide-eyed. He had come from nothing, but Torres had taken pity on him and given him both a job as his cup bearer, as well as a future position in the Order._

 _"Yes, Birch?" Torres, unlike most of his peers, was a man of patience and courtesy._

 _"Well, the clan hunts Danger Beasts, right?"_

 _"Yes." Was the boy going somewhere with this?_

 _"Well, what if... they bit off more than they could chew?"_

 _Torres, now intrigued, turned in his chair to face Birch fully. "Yes?"_

 _"What if somebody got a really fast horse and acted as bait to a herd of them, and led it to wherever the clan is?"_

* * *

A young man, loyal to the Templars, nervously walked down a dimly lit hall. He hated giving bad news to the Grand Masters, yet the duty seemingly always fell to him. His footsteps were quicker than his usual pace. Perhaps he wanted this ordeal over with. Part of him was afraid they would take their anger out on him. Shoot the messenger, as they say.

Finally, he came to a massive door, and pushed it open. Inside was a round table currently occupied by three men.

Robert looked up at the sound of the doors opening. "Ah, Birch. Come in."

Birch approached the table, but did not sit. The seats were resevered only for the highest of authorities within the Order. "Grand Masters. I've... some unfortunate news.

Starrick sighed as his lieutenant, Lucy, passed him a cup of warm tea. "Well, let's hear it."

Birch gulped, mentally preparing for them to unleash on him. "Master Seika... is dead."

A thick silence filled the room.

Germain inhaled deeply, and sighed. **"Merde."**

Robert grimaced. "There goes our foothold in the north..." He slammed his fists on the tabletop. "Those Partas bastards! Even when there is only one left, they **still** are a thorn in our side!"

Starrick, ever the calm type, took a sip of his drink. "You told him to tread carefully, and instead he wanted his name to be known. This is hardly unexpected."

Robert growled. "That damn General... she's ruining it!"

Starrick gave a placating gesture. "Only part of it. No matter how this war ends, order will be restored, and everything will go back to how it should be. I'm positive an opportunity to dispose of her will be presented to us. And if not, surely the Hidden Ones are already planning to dispose of such a chaotic individual."

* * *

"Oh, I'm startin' tah love this place, Ez!" Edward's words were slurred. Hunting Danger Beasts had proven to be extremely profitable. Drachmae overflowed from their numerous pockets, and the pirate spent a fair share of his on alcohol. A large bottle occupied his right hand. "This... this place better nah have any public drunk laws! I don't feel like fighting."

"Because you can barely stand up?" Ezio asked flatly with a grin. The booze of this town paled in comparison to the wines from his home. His whistle did not need to be wet. He tried to guide his comrade back to their hotel room, but a small crowd blocked their path. "What's going on?"

A passerby answered him. "Gang brawl. Personally, my money's on the Rooks."

"Eh?" Ezio raised his heels, making himself a little taller to see above the heads of the rest of the spectators. About three meters in front of him was a clearing occupied by Blighters. He then saw a man in a top hat step forward and raise his fist in the air, wrapped around which was a green ribbon.

"This is now Rook turf!" He shouted as several of what had to be his own gang followed.

Ezio surmised that he had to be the head of the Rooks. His interest captured, he opted to watch the imminent fight unfold.

It quickly became evident that both sides were out to kill. For a moment, his thoughts turned to the fight he and Vieri had on the Ponte Vecchio. He shook his head and refocused on the brawl currently happening. It seemed either gang could come out victorious. Ezio considered stepping in, but was reluctant. However, that went away when he saw something. The Rook leader shoved his wrist into a Blighter's neck, which then oozed blood like a fountain. To most, it would seem the Rook had struck him incredibly hard, but Ezio spotted the blood-stained steel disappear behind the leader's fingers.

That was when he made his choice. He grabbed Edward's scotch bottle and smashed it on the brick wall behind him.

"Hey!" Edward slurred. "You know how much that cost me?"

"Just buy another! And don't move." Ezio shoved his way through the crowd with his free arm,

"Go get 'em, Ez!" Edward's mood swung like a club. He turned to a woman who looked vaguely familiar to him, but he was too cockeyed to identify her. "Th-that's muh buddy, Ez."

"How old is he?" The woman demanded.

"He... he is... uuuhhh... I dunno!" He laughed.

Ezio eventually made it to the fight, and swung the sharpened glass across the neck of a Blighter, taking him out of the fight. He then shoved the bottle into the face of another foe, and let go of it, resorting to his fist and whatever weapon he could pick up from fallen friends or foes. Either those or the inherited steel from his father.

The head Rook briefly looked over and saw his new comrade bring out two Blighters' end with what could only be Hidden Blades. "What's this then?"

On and on the brawl went. Soon, the Blighters were losing more numbers than the Rooks. By the time only half of them were still standing, they all dropped their weapons put their hands up. Ezio was unsure of what to do. He had never had an opponent give up before.

The man in the top hat, accompanied by a beautiful woman who bore a striking resemblance to him, climbed on top of a carriage. "Attention, all of you! We are Evie and Jacob Frye! And you all work for us now!"

The remaining Blighters had resigned expressions as the took off their red clothes and were handed green replacements. The only one who had partaken in the slaughter and was not wearing the colors of the winning side was Ezio.

The woman named Evie walked over to him with Jacob in tow. "You wear the garb of... us."

Ezio, never one to shy away from an attractive specimen, gave a smile. _"Salve._ Nothing is true."

"And everything is permitted," she finished. "So... you are indeed one of us."

Jacob spoke up. "Nice fighting back there." He looked at Ezio's cape for a moment.

"I couldn't stand by and do nothing."

"What are you doing out here?" asked Evie.

"Business."

The crowd finally began to disperse, allowing a still intoxicated Edward to have a clear path to them.

"Hey, Ez! That was awesome!"

Evie glanced at the pirate for a moment. "So your name is Ez?"

"Actually it's Ezio. Ezio Auditore."

Evie's eyes narrowed in thought. "Auditore... as in Mario Auditore?"

 _"Si._ He's my uncle."

Jacob looked confused. "Who's that?"

"I'll tell you later," Evie replied, exasperated.

"Whu-what are we gonna do now?" Edward asked. "Gonna... gonna bust more skull? Y'know, I got a couple of those made of crystal back on muh ship."

Ezio put a hand on his friend's shoulder and began leading him back to the hotel. "No. Right now, you're going to sleep this off."

Edward put up no fight. Within a minute of lying down on the mattress, he was out like a candle. Ezio made sure to put him in a position to make sure he would not choke should he vomit. Walking outside, the Florentine came across Jacob once more.

The gang leader offered him a folded cloth. "Here, Audi. A sign of brotherhood, comradry, and friendship."

Ezio unraveled it, finding it to be a new cape, green with what looked like a bird of prey carrying a knight chess piece in its talons.

"The symbol of the Rooks," Jacob explained. "You have that on, and my guys will always come running if you ask 'em too."

Ezio was touched. Most of his friends had been left behind in Firenze. Now he had new ones to fill the hole. Antonio, Rosa, Edward, and now Jacob. He undid the clasps on his shoulder and removed his current cape, wedging it between his legs before making its spot occupied with Jacob's gift. _"Grazie, amico._ Thank you, friend."

Jacob smirked and gave Ezio a friendly punch before going off to do whatever he was about to do. Ezio returned to his room and put the solid black cape amongst his other packed belongings. He could never get rid of it; it had been his father's during his own career as an assassin. Making his way outside once more, he pulled out the map Antonio had drawn up for him, marking the lairs of the Followers of Romulus. With the setting sun illuminating the parchment, all it showed was that the dwelling was not too far north. _"Avrei dovuto chiedergli di aggiungere ulteriori dettagli..."_

He rolled up the map, put it within his robes, and made his way into the wilderness, unaware that a certain General was following him.


	12. Love Hurts

Sitting against a tree, whiskey bottle in one hand and shotgun in another, a man dressed in red scowled. "Fuckin' Rooks, ruinin' ev'rythin'." He forced the mouth of his bottle into his lips and tilted the glass upwards. He swallowed heavily, feeling the hotness of the alcohol from his neck to his sternum. He wished he had some Soothing Syrup to help his mind go numb quicker.

He looked over at the sound of footsteps. He squinted and began to push himself to his feet, but stopped when his eyes focused on the green cape. The rest of the other man's getup mattered little to the Blighter; he could have been dressed in a suit of armor, or gussied up like a whore. All that mattered was the color and symbol of the Rooks on that cloth latched to the shoulder. The Blighter snarled and stood up. Or rather, _tried_ to stand up. Removing himself from his seat on the ground, combined with his state of intoxication, made him fall flat on his face. He groaned and tried again.

Not too far away from the hopeless gangster landed a dragon, and off of it climbed an Imperial General. She maintained enough distance to keep her and her mount out of her potential lover's area of awareness. The Partas clan had always respected hunting. Keeping quiet, not disturbing men and women who were stalking prey. And the Southerner was certainly hunting.

"Sturm. Stay," she quietly ordered her flying steed. The beast obeyed and she set off. Having been raised by a group of hunters, she too could be silent when she wished. She kept her eyes on his back, and he kept his eyes forward. Every now and again, he would pause and look around before slightly altering his course. The General wondered just what he was doing and where he was going? Did he seek more Danger Beasts to slay?

Further and further he led her into the forest. Part of her assumed he was lost, but as she carefully navigated herself to the edge of a thicket, she saw a towering silhouette courtesy of the moonlight. It was a condemned church, surrounded by headstones. The building looked so decrepit, it might as well collapse. There was no rhyme or reason to the layout of the graveyard. Some of the markers were crooked while others had large portions of stone.

 _Do you partake in grave robbing?_ she wondered. An odd hobby to have but one she was willing to look over. However, that theory died away when she realized he had not brought any digging tools with him. Whatever the purpose, he had evidently reached his destination; he walked with less focus and looked around the headstones, searching.

A voice that clearly did not belong to him spoke up. "The Priestess' trust will not be in vain."

The man Esdeath had shadowed hid behind the grave marker that must have belonged to a man of influence, as it was tall and wide enough to conceal him from sight. Staying in the dark provided by the foliage, the sadistic militant watched as three men rounded the far corner of the church. Each of them was dressed in the pelts of animals, with wolf heads covering their scalps. They walked like men who had long since rejected to part of society.

Her probable lover, Ezio Auditore, according to her memory, risked a glance from behind his hiding spot and waited for them to pass. With their backs to him, he moved silently, creeping up on them like a ghost. When they were within reached, he made to grab their necks.

 _Strangling? Interesting._ Esdeath watched with interest as his palms met their flesh, only to instantly move away. As his arms returned to his sides, the two savages fell to the ground. They did not move as their comrade spun around.

"I seek the leader of the Followers of Romulus," Ezio said with an air of authority and determination.

As the remaining pelt-wearer drew a dagger, Esdeath's eyes remained on the world's newest corpses. _How did he do that? He only touched them, and yet their lives are over._ Her field of vision returned to Ez, who almost lazily deflected a swipe from his opponent's blade with his right vambrace before shoving his left hand into the savage's neck. Like his brothers before him, he fell to the grass and did not get back up.

Ez turned towards the church doors and stopped. "I know you're out there! The Wolves are gone!"

Esdeath pushed her surprise aside as she strode up to him as he made his way to the doors. "How long were you aware I was there?"

"You again? About a minute." While the nephew of Mario would normally attempt to charm any woman in front of him, doing so in enemy territory was unwise.

"And you aren't worried I too am an enemy?"

"I can tell you aren't."

She looked at the side of his face. The dark of the night combined with the hood atop his head made it so she could hardly tell what he looked like, not that it mattered to her. Appearances were of no concern to her. "And just _how_ can you tell?"

He did not answer. He pushed the massive doors, only for them to break off their rusted hinges and fall to the floor. He stared at them as the dust they threw up settled. "Alright then." He looked inside and saw rows of torches lit in place of sconces, keeping the interior well lit. Thanks to the flames, he could see the shrine occupying the spot where the priest would lead his mass in prayer. He walked over to the statues, surrounded by small chests undoubtedly filled with drachmae and jewels. He opted to ignore them at the moment and focused on the mantel, upon which was a stone chest. He opened it... and was caught by surprise. _"Questa non è una chiave."_

Esdeath, having followed him in, walked up next to him and looked on as he picked up his prize. At first she thought it was an ornate dagger, steel with what seemed to be a line of gold going from the base to the tip. Then her mind shifted to surmising it was an overly large arrowhead with most of the shaft missing. Finally, she figured out what it was. The blade of a spear. Its handle was just as ornate as the steel. It had engravings and was wrapped in a fabric she could not quite identify, but knew it was meant to make holding the weapon comfortable.

Ezio looked back into the chest and saw something family. Just like with the keys, a scroll was also present. He put the spearhead on the mantle to free his hands. He unfurled the parchment. "'The weapon of the Warrior King, gifted to us, will make for an appropriate offering for Romulus. It is better here than buried in a nameless grave.'" After staring at the words for a moment, Ezio rolled up the scroll and put in within his robes before picking up the seemingly simplistic weapon. He looked at it closely, turning it around and over in his hands. Finding his father's secret room had taught him to look closely at things.

Esdeath, accustomed to far larger and deadlier weapons, was not concerned in the least with the spear. Taking the opportunity, she asked the question that had been gnawing at her for hours. "How old are you?"

Ezio glanced at her, unsure why such a subject would be on her mind, but he answered. _"Venti."_

"In a language I can understand," she demanded.

Ezio felt his lips twitch. He liked a woman with a fire in her. "Twenty." Before his guest could react, a howl filled the air and bounced off the walls. "I knew it. These spots are never so poorly guarded." He looked around, taking in the environment, assessing the best course of action. He had no idea how many Romulus Followers were closing in, nor how mobile the woman next to him was. If they went outside, they would be surrounded. But in here... the only doors and all the windows were in front of them.

He drew his sword from its scabbard on his hip, and his free hand grabbed his newly acquired spearhead. A sense of regret came over him for leaving his guns in the hotel room, but there was no sense in staying on what was not happening. "Stay behind me."

The General, still ecstatic at the fact that he was younger than her, could not help but laugh. "You have no idea who I am, do you?"

Ezio looked over his shoulder at her and gave a smile. "Perhaps you could tell me afterwards." He turned his head back to the gaping entrance, ready for action. In through the doorway came several men dressed like the others from earlier, covered in pelts and armed with daggers. The Southerner brought up his sword as the lead Follower sprinted towards him, and deflected an attempted stab before thrusting the blade of the spear into his neck. It slid through just as he expected, but the way it had been so _easy_ made him pause. The metal had gone clean through so quickly that before Ezio knew it, his fingers, curled in a vice grip near the bottom of the handle, were pressing into the entry wound. It was as if the cultist had been made of smoke.

The Follower of Romulus seemed to be just as shocked as Ezio. His eyes were wide as he let out a death rattle while his blood seeped onto Ezio's knuckles and wrist.

After an instant of being dumbfounded, the son of Giovanni pulled the spearhead out, find that being just as easy as forcing it forward, and the savage perished by the time he hit the ground. Returning to be aware of the flood of murders getting near him and the woman, he entered a fighting stance once more. More and more cultists slashed at him, but he was ready.

Esdeath watched, completely intrigued. She could easily end this fight in an instant, but watching her now confirmed lover mow them down was enticing. They tried to overwhelm him, by he proved to be superior when it came to skill. They swung their blades like bairns with rattles, while her Southerner danced a mazurka of slaughter. He jumped back, only to leap forward to force the tip of his sword across the vital veins of the neck, making blood gush out like a faucet. A simple but effective tactic.

One of the killers managed to land a blow into Ezio's shoulder, making him shout. His expression was more of being insulted than in pain. He spun on his heels while holding the spearhead out, making it seamlessly slice the cultist's chest open. The immense pain made the wolf drop his own weapon and cry out in agony. His pain ended quickly, as Ezio finished him with a sword to the heart.

More and more of the murderers fell, their bodies littering the already filthy floor. Ezio's robe's coloring had turned to crimson, as had the blades of his sword and spear. His mouth was just as bad; it looked as if he had been wolfing down raw meat. When the last of his prey collapsed, he stood in place, panting. As he slid his sword back into the scabbard, he found that he was not as tired as he had expected himself to be. The phenomenon vanished from his thoughts as a groan echoed throughout the building. With his fingers still tightly grasping the broken spear handle, his eyes darted around before finding a Follower of Romulus, trying to crawl out of the church. Ezio's thoughts shifted to when he finished off the Pazzi family as he closed in on the suffering vagrant.

 _"Requiescat in pace."_ He knelt down and finished the Follower off. Before he could return to a standing posture, he felt arms wrap around him. For the briefest of moments, he feared another savage was attempting to get the drop on him, but the hold on him was soft, almost wanting. He glanced over and saw the blue-haired woman was holding him dearly with a smile on her face. "You do know I'm covered in blood, yes?"

"I don't care." Her tone would not be out of place in a dream. "I finally found you."

Ezio felt paranoia flood into him. "You've... been looking for me?"

Esdeath, obviously not concerned with the plasma coating him, nuzzled onto his neck. "Finally. Love. You're perfect."

"I... am?"

She let go of him and stood up. She pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. "You meet all of my specifications."

 _Does she want to hire me? I suppose... father did work with Lorenzo._ Ezio took the parchment and adjusted his stance, trying to get the light of the torches to shine on it. As he wiped the blood from his eyes, thunder filled the air.

At least it sounded like thunder. But Ezio was not concerned with the specifics. As soon as the noise rang out, he was thrown off his feet. His chest and stomach were filled with more pain than he had thought imaginable. Blood seeped out of the newly formed holes on his flesh and garbs.

Standing in the doorway of the church, a plastered Blighter laughed with a smoking shotgun in his hands. "Gotcha, ya Rook!"

His triumph would be the last thing he ever did in his life. As he cackled, a spear made of ice launched and went clean through his head between his eyes. He stood there for a second before falling like a puppet with cut strings.

"Cheap tactic," Esdeath snarled as she got on her knees next to the supine Ezio. "Too cowardly to take him head on, like a fighter." She tore the fabric open, and could see the damage. "This is not good. Normally, I'd leave people like this to their fate, but you were cheated, Ezio."

As he lied there, Ezio's vision began to blur. All became a fog. He felt himself slipping away. He blinked a few times as the agony covered him like a shroud. Then, something gradually came into focus. At first, it was only a shapeless silhouette. But the lines began to sharpen and colors came to it, forming a woman. Using his remaining strength, he grabbed her hand. "Cristina... I'm sorry."

Esdeath kept her fingers around her love's hand as his head went limp. She did not know who this Cristina was, and at the moment she did not care. She picked up Ezio and ran for the exit. "Sturm! _**Sturm!"**_

* * *

Within the operating theatre of Southwark's primary hospital, a nurse wipes the surgeon's brow of sweat.

"Thank you." The blood-covered doctor turned away from his patient to pick up a fresh set of forceps, only to hear the door bang open. "This is a sterile environment, please-" he panics when he sees who it is. "G-G-General Esdeath!"

The military leader looked to the operating table. "Make that vacant."

"B-but-"

"Do as I command!"

"I took an oath too-"

"If you do not follow my orders right this second, I will personally go to your home and introduce myself to your family."

The medic did not need to be told twice. He turned to his assistants. "Put her in another room and monitor her!"

Esdeath held Ezio tightly as she watched the staff clean the table. When all was reset, she put him down on the flat surface. "Multiple gunshot wounds."

Hours passed. Blood coated the floor. Tools were strewn about. The surgeon found himself sweating more and more with the feared General so close to him.

Esdeath tinkered with the vambrace from Ezio's left arm. She looked at the inscriptions. It was made of metal, certainly, yet it was so light. She felt inside it, and her fingers brushed against something. She pressed down in it lightly, and a thin blade sprang out from the vambrace. "So that's how you did it. Not a touch of death, but something just as efficient." She removed her fingers from the dent within the bracer, and the steel slid back into its unseen holster. Feeling around, she felt a second small protrusion and pressed on it as well. Another sharp instrument presented itself. Unlike the first, this one was hollow and thin as a needle. "Injection, maybe?"

The surgeon spoke up. "I-I have done all I can. I've extracted all the fragments, but the damage... I just don't have the supplies. I sent for them weeks ago and-"

"Can he move?" Esdeath's tone was calm as could be.

"Wh-what?"

"If you patched him up, could he be safely transported?"

"Well, technically yes. But without proper treatment, he-"

"Could he survive a few hours, half a day at the most?"

"Well, I suppose-"

"Close him up." She looked down at her unconscious love and gently put her hand on his cheek. "Worry not. I'll take you to get proper treatment."


End file.
